


Moonshadow

by ch3miistry



Category: Super Mario & Related Fandoms, Super Mario Odyssey (Video Game)
Genre: (as much of a slow burn as the author can handle writing anyways), Character Development, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-02-09
Packaged: 2019-10-08 18:50:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 34,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17391743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ch3miistry/pseuds/ch3miistry
Summary: After Bowser's wedding plans were foiled, Luigi accidentally runs into him while exploring the moon.  His naive curiosity gets the better of him and overrides his terror, leading to an unexpected conversation between the two.Perhaps, they're being followed by a moonshadow; it didn't take long to find each other.[[On hiatus]]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was very, very faintly inspired by the song Moonshadow, by Cat Stevens.  
> Emphasis on very.

The moon was a barren land, its atmosphere as empty as each crater that dotted the surface.  It contained a mysteriously breathable atmosphere and a single, pure white wedding chapel, but it otherwise remained blank, similar to a fresh canvas.  There was no color, no movement, and no sound other than a single, quiet tune hummed by a green-donned person wandering between holes and cliff sides with balloons waving above him.

Peering down into one of the many bowl-shaped spaces on the moon, Luigi let out a tired sigh, adjusting his hat with a small tug.  Despite low gravity making his exploration much easier, hours had been wasted looking for proper spots to hide balloons. If he was going to let his brother use the moon as another playground for their never-ending game, it was in their best interest to make sure the places they used were full of clever alcoves and difficult-to-reach ledges.

The moon did not satisfy either of those requirements.

“ _Questo è senza speranza…_ ”  A small pebble bounced across the dusty ground as Luigi kicked the ground.  There wasn’t any point in looking further; while only uncovering a small portion of the moon’s surface, it was all the same.  Aside from minor alterations in the surface, all he witnessed were craters, rocks, ledges, and a distant view of the wedding chapel.

Luigi looked towards the lone building, staring at the golden bells at the roofing’s peak.  It was no place to use for brotherly games, but the architecture was lovely from afar, almost glistening in the light, and it made for a promising place to explore for his own enjoyment.  Plus, now it was safe to peer into; Bowser’s most recent plans were foiled, rabbits were nowhere to be seen, and Mario had assured him that the structural damage did no harm to the lunar surface.

Brown heels turned, leaving faint footprints and a small cloud behind him.  He assumed that, while he’s here, he might as well take a little gander.

* * *

As Luigi approached the cathedral, he glanced at the velveteen rug beneath him.  It was shockingly clean, avoiding any moondust and remaining a vivid, warm red that stood out from every other surrounding.  All things considered, it was a bit shocking. He expected at least a little wear and tear to the fabric… or at least a misplaced pebble or two.

He pushed inside, pressing against the grand, ornate doors in the center with a small grunt.  The doors were surprisingly heavy, even for their size. Architectural beauty meant sacrificing functional ease, Luigi assumed.  It wasn’t the first time he had to work around fancy decor; Princess Peach was a dear friend of his, after all.  Still, it was worth it. Rather than focusing on the inconveniences, he changed his pace to look around the building.

Yet, when he looked around, expecting an empty hall that matched the moon’s color scheme…  he was surprised to see a hint of emerald green among the pews. Luigi flashed a mix of emotions, changing from surprise, to confusion, to one akin to when he was told Peach was kidnapped in the first place.  Wide eyes, mouth agape, and a weak hand travelling to his chin in an instinct to hold his face.

Was that…?

Before Luigi had any time to further process the situation, the figure in the pews moved, sluggishly shifting to glance over their shoulder at the only movement in the room, revealing their face.  Fiery red hair, bulky snout, and eyes that held a long history of defeat.

It was.

“Quit staring, green bean.”

Luigi stood frozen, eyes darting between Bowser’s shell and face.  His hand dropped from his face, which could have been an arguable improvement, but he otherwise stood like a statue.  The only movement around him was the balloons above him, which drifted in the nonexistent breeze.

“What about _quit staring_ did you not understand?”  This time, a low growl accompanied the demand.  While not as aggressive or terrifying as the usual growls Bowser let out, it did the job, getting Luigi’s attention and sending shivers down his spine.  He immediately dropped his gaze, staring at the gold lace at the edges of the carpeting.

“O-oh… um, s-sorry,” he muttered.  As much as he wanted to instantly sprint home, warning Mario and finding comfort in a more familiar space, he felt stuck there, frozen in a bizarre mix of fear, politeness, and curiosity for why the dragon-like being was still here.

Bowser didn’t say anything back, merely watching Luigi from the benches and waiting for any sort of movement.  He wasn’t looking for a fight, still sore and recovering from the wedding-day battle with Mario days before. However, he certainly wasn’t looking for a conversation either, at least not from the likes of Mario’s green-clad brother.

He didn’t get what he wanted.

“Um… B-Bowser, I didn’t mean to intrude on what you were doing, or anything… and you don’t have to really answer me if you don’t want to… or talk to me. I know we’re far from allies and-”

“Spit it out.  I don’t have all day.”  In actuality, Bowser did have all day, he just didn’t want to spend it listening to who was, in his mind, a blabbering runner-up to his nemesis.

“Why are you still here?”

An odd, uncomfortable silence hung in the air after Luigi’s question, almost feeling as though the echo of it still rang through the hall.  For a moment, both of them looked at each other, eyes meeting in an awkward clash of interest. Bowser was uninterested and ultimately uncomfortable with the amicable, yet intrusive conversation.  Luigi was terrified, almost wishing he was back dealing with ghosts over this, and only persisted because he was taught to always approach people with a kind heart, regardless of their history.

“I guess what I mean is… y-you aren’t stuck here, are you?”  Luigi pushed again, looking back down at his feet. His stomach seemed to have flipped upside down, making him tremble from the core outwards.

“No.  I’m fine.”  Bowser let out a huff along with his response, sulking back into the bench.  Fine was an overstatement, considering how everything he had worked towards was pulled out from underneath him.  Again, though, it was never something that would be said aloud; it was only something to be picked up from context clues, something Luigi figured out with ease.

“ _Vedo_.  That’s… good?”

“Why are you still talking, green bean?”

As Luigi opened his mouth to speak, he hesitated, closing it once more.  Saying he was just curious would be like playing with fire… almost literally, considering Bowser’s abilities.  It was essentially suggesting that this entire conversation was amusing, even though it was far from it.

“I-I don’t really know,” he said.  It was the best he could muster.

“Spectacular.  Now, instead of interrogating me, will you leave me be?  For once, you have no reason to antagonize me.” The suppressed rage in Bowser’s voice was beginning to surface again, shaking Luigi out of his thoughts.  Still, Luigi didn’t move to leave, silently persisting in his attempts to converse with the koopa.

“I’m not trying to interrogate you.”

“Then what _are_ you doing?”

“Talking… I guess.”

Luigi was met with another huff that seemed to be on the relatively calmer side, but he could still see the frustration in Bowser’s eyes.  Instead of quaking in his shoes again, however, he mustered up courage to flash a gentle smile, his mustache curling along with it. The koopa furrowed his brow at him in faint confusion, but otherwise didn’t respond, leaving Luigi disappointed, but not completely despondent.

It didn’t seem like anything would progress out of this unless Luigi pushed for it.

Small taps echoed through the chapel as Luigi walked further into it, only ceasing once he reached the pew Bowser rested on.  Reflexively, he smiled again, trying to come off as a friend, rather than foe… or at least someone on neutral terms. Friend was, in his opinion, a major stretch.

“I’m guessing I don’t have much of a choice to talk to you, do I?” Bowser asked, lifting a single brow.

“ _Bene_ , now you know how it feels to be forced into things you don’t like, hm?”

Both of them were a bit shocked at Luigi’s immediate comeback, silently acknowledging with a small glance towards each other.  Luigi was right, and they both knew it… it’s just that neither of them expected to hear it aloud.

“I guess so.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations: [Please note, I did have to use google translate; I don't speak Italian. If you catch any errors, let me know!]
> 
> Questo è senza speranza - "This is hopeless"  
> Vedo - "I see"  
> Bene - "Well"


	2. Chapter 2

For a short moment, both Luigi and Bowser sat in silence, one of them not wanting to continue the conversation and ultimately not finding a good explanation for it all, and the other not knowing what to say that wouldn’t be awkward.  Luigi twiddled his thumbs, eventually choosing to take a seat on the bench beside Bowser. A good distance separated them, letting Luigi make sure that he was far from arm’s reach and calming his nerves. While it didn’t do much in the end, it would at least give a little extra warning if things went haywire.

Eventually, it was Bowser who broke the silence, startling Luigi out of his seat for a moment with a jolt.

“Why are you talking to me?”

“I-I already told you… I don’t really know.”

“No, I mean… why are you _talking_ to me?  Not once have you made the motion to fight me.  That’s what Mario always does, and you too, when you’re there.”  The bench creaked as Bowser leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and resting his head in his hands.  As Luigi glanced over at him, he couldn’t place a finger on the expression he was wearing. It was mostly confusion, if anything, but there was more to it that he couldn’t pinpoint.

Still, he made a good point.

“To be fair, it’s always because you’re doing something that warrants a fight… but this time, you’re not.  You’re just… here?”

“Still doesn’t explain why you aren’t trying to fling me off of this giant rock like usual.  Again, that’s what you _always_ do.”  When Bowser turned his head to look at Luigi, the man gave a faint grimace.  It’s not like he ever had a say in the matter. Either he had to fight, or he just wasn’t there, and it was usually the latter case.  Mario was the one to take charge.

“Well, that’s what my brother always does.” Luigi sighed as he spoke, doing his best to imply frustration without being too aggressive.  It seemed too subtle for the koopa’s perception, however.

“Exactly.”

“ _Not_ exactly.  I’m not my brother.”  As he looked up at Bowser, he continued.  It was probably best to explain things as clearly as possible; he didn’t want to risk any confusion.  “I get it. We’re similar; of course I know that! We’re nearly inseparable too, doing almost everything together that isn’t, well, saving the princess.  But as much as we go together like salt and pepper, I’m not just a shadow of him. I’m my own person and I have my own ways of dealing with things. I don’t like to fight.  I’d much rather talk it out and find compromises with people. For how much you have to deal with us, I… kind of expected you to realize that… I guess?”

The short burst of confidence Luigi held faded, leaving him sullen and fidgeting with his gloves again.  While he held nothing but love for his brother, it was exhausting always being compared to him. Both he and Mario knew that.  If he wasn’t forgotten altogether by the kingdom, he was automatically assumed to be a ‘green Mario’: a carbon copy of the shorter brother’s personality and strong spirit.

“... Do you even know my name?” Luigi asked, concerned for just how stuck in the shadows he was.  While his voice mostly hid the worry he held, displaying a mildly confident facade, a small tremor slipped through.

Bowser’s silence said it all.

“ _Luigi_.  It’s Luigi.”  His voice was dejected, hoping that Bowser would say something.  He didn’t want this to turn into an awkward sob story, especially considering how he was talking to his nemesis, of all beings.  Honestly, he would even take Bowser spitting fire at him over this conversation.

“Look, sorry for assuming… Luigi,” Bowser began, “Enemies or not, I suppose you still do deserve basic respect.  I do have standards.”

The koopa sat back up, staring at the empty windows at the end of the building.  In turn, Luigi mimicked him, not quite knowing where to look. It seemed like anything they did made for an awkward situation.

“... _Grazie_.”

“What?”

“Thank you.”

Bowser huffed, returning to his silent state.  Luigi couldn’t help but think of the bizarre standards his opponent had.  He had high enough standards to respect his enemies, yet not even give a proper response to a ‘thank you’.  Whatever the priorities were, Luigi shrugged to himself. At this point, it didn’t matter. He was just glad to have been finally shown some respect, even if it was from someone he never expected.

Turning his head to look over at Bowser again, Luigi stared blankly at him, trying to figure out what he was thinking.  Bowser’s expression was too blank to piece together, however, only changing when he noticed the green-clad man looking at him.  Red brows raised, hinting at mild surprise and faint irritation again.

“You’re staring.”

“S-sorry, I just… I was thinking.”  
  
“Uh-huh.”

“You’re… not such a bad guy.  I mean, you’re far from friendly, obviously.  But deep down, there’s good in you.” Luigi flashed him another smile, this time gentle and almost beckoning.  It was like an invite, in a way, trying to coax a better side out of him. As Bowser hummed uncomfortably, ready to reject the idea, Luigi continued.  “Really, I mean it. Why else would you _apologize_ to me?  Or even let me sit down and talk with you after all the times we’ve fought?”

Bowser genuinely didn’t have an argument against it.  He was used to people calling him bad, and he took pride in that.  For someone to call him good for the first time that he can ever recall was almost surreal.  He shifted awkwardly in his seat, feeling uncomfortable with the way the words sat with him.

“Maybe I don’t want to be good,” he said, not knowing how else to respond.

“I think you do.  Just… think about it.  Please.”

“Fine.”

“ _Grazie_.”

Another bout of silence crossed the two of them, still awkward, but not in the same way as before.  This time, the silence was more pensive, leaving them both in a state where they were stuck trying to process their own thoughts instead of their surroundings.

This time, Luigi spoke up.

“I… I should probably go.  Mario will be worried sick about me if I’m gone too long and I wouldn’t want for him to see us talking like this.  It wouldn’t go over well… at least for you.”

“Yeah.”  Bowser gave a nod of understanding, knowing full well that Luigi was right.  “Thank you, Luigi. It’s... interesting to see this side of you.”

“You’re welcome, Bowser.  I hope we can talk again like this… it was nice.  Much better than fighting you.”

Bowser wouldn’t admit it, but he agreed with the sentiment.  It was far better than fighting. The little green guy really wasn’t too frustrating to deal with when there was nothing to actually throw punches over.

As the koopa nodded farewell, Luigi stood up with a final smile and made his way towards the exit of the cathedral.  Other than his footsteps, thing remained quiet and tranquil, eventually fading into complete silence as he ventured outdoors and once again leaving Bowser to his own thoughts.

He couldn’t help but wonder if maybe, Luigi was right.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a bit short, sorry. It was the only way to have a smooth transition into the next chapter.

It wasn’t long before an unmarked, white letter showed up in the mail, addressed with nothing more than  _ Luigi _ written in large, cursive lettering.  On the edges, faint remnants of soot stained the paper when looked at closely, but it was otherwise completely typical.  It was a basic envelope: no implication of who it was from, and no color coding to otherwise suggest who the sender was.

Still, Luigi knew exactly where it was from, and likely who wrote the contents inside, waiting for his brother to disappear with his significantly larger stack of mail and gifts before opening it.

Slipping a finger between the sealed envelope, Luigi tore the paper open, pulling the inside sheet out onto a nearby desk and unfolding it.  While subtle, the smell of ash could be picked up from the paper, mingling with the air from home as he read the contents.

_ Luigi, _

_ Go to the gardens outside of Peach’s castle at sunset the day you receive this letter.  Do not expect any warnings. Go alone. _

_ -K.K. _

Luigi lifted his eyebrows at the curtness in the letter.  Bowser was never a beast of words, always preferring to use his fists, but after their conversation on the moon, he expected at least a little better.  He even felt as though this letter was a demand, rather than a request. Whether he wanted to or not, he would go as told.

“ _ Non ha buone maniere… _ ”

Promptly folding the letter back up and placing it in his pocket, he sat down, looking out a nearby window.  Light still shone brightly in the sky, implying there was plenty of time until dusk, at least another five hours.  Luigi leaned back in his chair, turning his head towards the door for a moment to call out to his brother. It was probably best to let him know ahead of time.

“Ey, Mario!”

“Yeah, bro?”

“I’m going out exploring around dusk, okay?  Don’t wait on me for dinner, I won’t be back until late!”

“You’re still looking for good hiding spots?  You really are something else. Just be safe, okay?  I know you aren’t a fan of the dark, aha!”

* * *

By the time the sun started to set, Luigi was already within the garden walls, casually wandering the various pathways to enjoy the view and pass the time.  The sky’s pinkish tone made everything eye-catching. While nature-grown scenery was beautiful in its own way, Peach’s gardens always stood out. Each hedge seemed to be trimmed to perfection no matter the time of year with multicolored flowers dotting the sides and not a hint of brown touching the leaves;  the rose court was almost always in bloom despite the chill in the air; and each pathway and stone decoration stayed perfectly clean regardless of the number of times it’s been walked through.

Unfortunately, Luigi’s time in the garden was abruptly cut short, having a cover put over his head and his arms tied against his sides before being dragged away by the same rope that bound him.  He didn’t struggle much, as it would have been a fruitless attempt; he couldn’t see, couldn’t run, couldn’t even manage to wiggle his fingers. Instead, he cried for help, hoping his voice would notify a lone toad or passerby.  Maybe even Bowser would do something about it, as they had originally planned to meet around this time… although it was likely that this was Bowser’s plan all along. 

It didn’t take much time before an unfamiliar voice snapped at him.

“Be quiet, you dolt!”

He ignored the demand, attempting to raise his voice louder, even if it sacrificed clarity.  He didn’t yell for long, however, as the figure dragging him away stopped moving, leaving him in a bewildered silence.

“What are you-”

With a loud clunk and a blunt pain that moved through his entire head,  Luigi’s world went dark, silent, and void of consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:  
> Non ha buone maniere - He has no [good] manners


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so y'all are aware, I think of Junior as being Bowser's only son, but he still considers the Koopalings family regardless, almost like a bunch of nephews (and niece). Junior might show up in the future, depending on how things unfold, but for now, he's just referenced.

“-I specifically told you _not_ to harm him.”

“My lord, please understand!  He kept yelling and I had to quiet him!  He’s a Mario brother, anyways; he can take a smack or two!”

“You disobeyed orders!”

When Luigi opened his eyes, stirred back to consciousness by the increasing volume of the argument, both figures seemed to look at him.  He wasn’t entirely sure, as his eyesight was blurry from still adjusting to the light and attack from earlier, but it was likely the case.  Blinking a few times, his vision returned further and he couldn’t help but cry out at the realization.

“ _Mamma mia!”_

Across the room from him stood a frazzled hammer bro and an all-too-familiar koopa, tail swaying in irritation.

“Look! He’s fine!  Perfectly normal other than a little lost!”

Before Bowser had a chance to respond, the hammer bro had disappeared from sight.  It was obvious that Bowser was fuming, but was at least doing his best to suppress his rage now that Luigi was looking straight at him.

Luigi picked up on the slack, immediately scowling now that he had the chance to register the situation.  He was in Bowser’s territory now, made clear by the extravagant decor, ashy feeling in the air, and distant view of poison motes outside the window.  Clenching his fists, he looked down at himself. The ropes were removed, at least… but that didn’t change the fact that he had been _kidnapped_ , of all things.

“Y-you kidnapped me?!”  While he appeared to be furious with the koopa, he couldn’t help but feel disappointed.  He expected better after their incident on the moon, but it seemed to all be a ruse. How horrible.

“Yes, I di-”  Bowser began, quickly being cut off, and, if Luigi was seeing it right, seemed to be a little surprised.

“I-I-… I can’t believe I fell for your trap!”

“Wait-”

“First you act all nice to trick me into believing you just needed a second chance!  Then you _kidnap_ me when I least expect it?  Even for you, that’s low! If this was your plan all along-”

“It’s not-”

“-You should have just kidnapped me out of the blue like you normally do to people!  Because apparently, that’s all you’re good for! You know, if I hadn’t just woken up, I’d probably be throwing punches at your scaly-”

Luigi was quickly cut off by Bowser stepping forward and picking him up from the ground, placing him back on his feet.  He could sense the frustration in his grip, which was tight enough to be uncomfortable and squeeze the breath out of his lungs, but not painful: a warning.

“If you won’t let me say anything, _leave_.  I’m not going to bother stopping you.”

A moment of silence lapsed between the two, neither of them moving, and both of them growing more confused by the situation.  It felt like time had stopped for a moment, with not even outside noise from the rest of the castle providing relief from the awkwardness.

“ _Che cosa_?” Luigi muttered, stunned enough by the situation to forget language barriers.  First, he’s kidnapped, then he’s given the option to go free? Nothing was adding up.

“I’m not going to stop you from leaving.  I figured that was clear, given the lack of restraints.”

“But you _kidnapped_ me.”

“I didn’t know how else to-”

“It’s called asking, Bowser.”

The koopa quickly went quiet with a faint, awkward _I see_ , losing any irritation and glancing away from Luigi.  Perhaps it was the lighting, but as he reached to scratch the back of his head, it almost seemed like there was a tinge of pink on the closest thing to cheeks he had.  For once in Luigi’s life, he saw embarrassment and could tell Bowser honestly regretted the situation.

Having this situation be the product of a genuine mistake was the _last_ thing he expected, and for that, he had no response.  Both of them stood quietly, struggling to look at each other.  Luigi was, in all honesty, perplexed, his face making it all too clear.  Now that he understood, however… he didn’t exactly see the need to leave.  Kidnapping or not, he figured that it was all Bowser knew anymore.

“You can still leave, you know,” Bowser said, drawing Luigi back out of his thoughts as he pointed towards the exit.  A majority of his frightful composure had disappeared, leaving a strangely passive figure that hardly matched the vision he was used to.  “No one will stop you.”

“I-it’s…” Luigi paused.  ‘Okay’, ‘fine’, and any other dismissive words were far from the truth.  Things were the opposite of okay. With a light sigh, he started over. “I’ll stay, but you need to do something for me first.”

“And what is that?” Bowser looked pleasantly surprised, the beginnings of a smile forming on his face, but it quickly disappeared under a quirked eyebrow.

“I want you to apologize.”

“Okay.  I’m sorry.”  The phrase came out sounding flat and emotionless, akin to when a child didn’t want to apologize for doing something but had to do so anyway.  It was far from what Luigi was looking for.

“... I mean a real apology,” he pushed.  “If it’s not good enough, I’m leaving.”

With a low grumble, Bowser crossed his arms and looked straight at the plumber, trying to pick back up the intimidating persona, but failing with the tone of his voice.

“Alright.  I’m sorry.”  This time, it came out far more genuine, giving off actual remorse instead of a cold persona.  Intimidation and emotion just didn’t… _couldn’t_ go together.  “Kidnapping you like that… it wasn’t a good idea.  I can’t say I would have known better, but I didn’t mean to scare you, or have you get injured from it.”

Luigi’s grimace fell, being replaced with a gentle, warm smile and nod of his head.  He still had yet to completely adjust to the situation, but he felt more at ease now that the tension had passed, aside from a slight headache.  The apology helped. It didn’t repair the situation by any means, but it at least convinced him to let it slide for the time being.

“Apology accepted… now, um, what is it you invited me here for, exactly?”

“To talk.”

“... Just to talk?”

“Don’t make this harder than it already is.”  

“S-sorry, I’m just surprised, is all.  I was expecting more after, well, everything that happened.”

Another bout of silence filled the room as Luigi looked outside at the rest of the kingdom, admiring the architecture and floating islands.  For a fire-breathing tortoise spinoff with a bad temper, Bowser sure had good taste. Everything, from the perfectly sculpted sand gardens and buildings down to the bubbling poison motes, was well kept.  Even the statues, albeit a little self-obsessed, were free of any tarnish whatsoever.

Bowser turned to look outside as well, but glanced down at Luigi every few seconds, trying to judge what his thoughts were.  No luck. Luigi’s face was blank, lost in the multicolored clouds that surrounded the area. There were no signs of him disliking it, at least.

“Luigi,” Bowser began, earning the attention of Luigi once more.  “We can visit the garden. It’s calmer than the castle.”

Although it was posed as a statement, there was no demanding tone to it, implying it was a simple suggestion.  In a way, it left Luigi a little perplexed; that was the first time Bowser had ever given him a choice in anything… or given anyone a choice, for that matter.  Even if he wanted to decline the offer, the sheer notion of politeness was enough to change his mind.

“Sì, that sounds nice.”

* * *

The trip to the garden was easy, quickly planting them on the garden’s platform.  In the middle, a single building sat, now containing a small space for tea instead of the once ill-fitting Crazy Cap store location.  As much as Luigi enjoyed shopping there and seeing the merchandise that Mario would bring home, the quaint teahouse was far more appealing in this particular setting.

Luigi took a seat in the grass as Bowser disappeared inside with a small, dismissive wave of the hand.  The koopa was right; the garden was much calmer than the castle, even when there was nothing going on. It may have just been the association with impending battles and never-ending onslaughts of foes, but something about being inside was bizarrely claustrophobic.  Now that he was outside, he could drop his stiff shoulders and appreciate the colorful surroundings from afar.

If there was one thing for sure, he could tell there was a lot of love put into the place.  It was nice to know that it avoided certain destruction for one of the very rare times in their long history of battles and castle destructions.

Eventually, Bowser returned, carrying a ceramic tea set with varying sizes of cups properly suited to each of them.  From the pot in the middle, steam poured out, mixing with the warm air in a faint haze. Pouring some for each of them, the koopa glanced towards Luigi with a slightly forced smile.

“Green tea.”

“O-oh.   _Grazie_!  I, um, see you got rid of the store here.”  Luigi gestured back at the teahouse, taking note of the new decorations that accompanied it.  “I like the change, really. It suits the little island more.”

“You think so?  The kids all protested when I brought up getting rid of it.”  Bowser let out a small huff of a laugh, cracking a small smile along with it.  Luigi noted how it was strange to see him smile so naturally like that; no facade or brutish attitude.  It was a completely new side of him. “I hated the gaudiness of it, but each of them threw a fit because they liked the energy it brought.  A few of them wouldn’t even talk to me for the next few days… the little brats.”

“Wow, I knew they could act spoiled, but over a shop?”  Luigi couldn’t help but snicker at the comment Bowser made.  Everyone who dealt with the Koopalings knew they were bratty, but hearing Bowser himself admit it was something else.  “What about Junior?”

“Especially Junior.”

“Wait, just how long has it been?”

“About two weeks since it was finished,” Bowser sighed, taking a sip of his tea.  “He locked himself in his room for the entire time it was being redesigned, only leaving once… to leave graffiti on the walls.”

And to think the Koopalings were spoiled brats.  Luigi nearly let his jaw drop.

“I thought he was through that whole ‘painting’ phase,” he remarked, carefully choosing his words.  He didn’t want to accidentally insult Bowser’s parenting.

“After the grounding he got for that sort of disrespect, I doubt he’s ever going back.  I forced him to take it down by hand, alone, after a harsh scolding.”

“I sure hope he learned his lesson.”

“I doubt it.  That kid has a spirit like no other; even myself.”

“You two are the true epitome of ‘like father, like son’, huh?  Neither of you seem to give up… well, ever, actually.” Luigi finished his sentence in a giggle, realizing the complete severity of the accuracy.  Considering how many years Mario and Bowser have fought over Peach’s kingdom, stubbornness was almost an understatement.

With a hearty laugh of his own, Bowser flashed a trademark grin full of pride.  He seemed to take the remark on his stubbornness as a compliment, rather than criticism.

“What is a koopa, if not headstrong?”

“Not much of a koopa, I guess,” Luigi shrugged, letting his own smile show.

“Exactly!”


	5. Chapter 5

The evening flew by as Bowser and Luigi continued to talk, each of them completely losing track of time.  It didn’t help that the kingdom seemed to be in a perpetual state of twilight, never losing the same burgundy tint in the sky or level of brightness on the ground.  It was impossible to judge the time of day. Only when Luigi took a sip of his long-forgotten, now lukewarm tea, did he realize how long he had been out.

Of all people, he never expected to get lost in conversation with his enemy and actually enjoy it.  They had a fair share of awkward silences, occasionally being insulted by each other’s responses or having moments where neither of them knew what to say, but overall, it was fairly pleasant.  It was a bizarre spin on running into an old acquaintance, where they were familiar with each other, yet never knew anything beyond the strength of their punches.

Bowser was far from a friend, ally, or much beyond a familiar face.  Yet, calling him an enemy didn’t feel fitting anymore, either. A frenemy, perhaps; their friendly conversation was an oxymoron in itself.

“Do you know how long we’ve been here?”  Luigi asked, glancing around for any sort of way to measure the time.

Bowser shook his head, the same realization dawning on him.  Apparently, they were in the same boat.

“Oh... Mario’s probably worried sick about me.”

“You told him?” Bowser quirked a brow, slightly baring his teeth in disgust at the name.  The tone of his voice matched his expression, low and clearly uninterested.

“N-no, I just told him I was going out exploring.”  Luigi picked up on the tone, finding himself a bit nervous.  Balancing home life with Bowser’s hatred of his brother was already proving to be difficult.  “B-but I know he worries about me when I’m gone for too long. I-I shouldn’t keep him waiting much longer.”

A faint _hm_ was the full extent of Bowser’s response, his mood instantly turning sour.  Luigi knew their rivalry ran deep, but it was almost childish seeing such a shift in attitude, especially when the koopa was fully aware of the brothers being inseparable.  Still, at this time, it was better to try and defuse the situation instead of standing up for Mario, as much as he wanted to.

“Um, sorry for bringing up a sore topic,” Luigi mumbled.  “I know you two don’t see eye-to-eye.”

“I get it.  He’s family.”  The edge in Bowser’s voice still lingered, but he seemed to understand.

“Y-yeah…”

“You can take a lakitu’s cloud home.  It’s the least suspicious.”

“I, um-  Thank you for… inviting me here.”  As Luigi spoke, he couldn’t determine if ‘inviting’ was the proper word, considering how he didn’t have much of a choice in the matter, but he let it slide.  Politeness was his best bet at saving their goodbyes from being tense, and he enjoyed his time regardless. “Maybe we can do this again sometime?”

That got the koopa’s attention.

“I know we started off badly, but I really did enjoy being here.  I mean it,” he continued, watching Bowser’s expression shift from a scowl to neutrality.  “Just… send me another letter sometime and I’ll come by.”

“I will.”

Pushing himself to his feet, Luigi flashed a signature smile and stuck out his hand.  For a moment, Bowser stared at it, not immediately recognizing the gesture, but quickly caught on, reaching out for it and giving a strong shake.  It was a bit more forceful than expected, his grip causing the plumber to stumble and wince shortly before stepping back.

"Goodnight, Bowser.”

“Goodnight.”

* * *

 

The front door to his home opened easily, allowing Luigi to slip back inside without any hesitation and glance around the front room.  It was empty and lifeless, for the most part, with no sign of Mario and the lights turned off. The only glow came from the kitchen, enticing Luigi to walk in.  Mario was likely asleep or in the kitchen table to wait, given the hour.

Glancing at a clock on the wall before stepping into the kitchen, Luigi muttered a small _oops_.  It was almost 11:30 pm: far later than he had ever been out in the past.

“Maaaario!” Luigi called out, sticking his head through the archway to the kitchen.  His brother stood by the stove, attention turned to a pan of assorted vegetables. When he heard his name, however, he perked up, looking over and beaming at Luigi.

“Ey, Luigi!  Glad to see you made it back home safe.”  When Mario’s initial cheer faded, Luigi could see the faint signs of worry that had yet to subside.  “You were out a lot longer than I thought you’d be, bro. You must be exhausted!”

“Ha, yeah, I guess I am pretty worn out.”

“What were you doing, anyways?  Just enjoying the outdoors for a bit, or what?”

Luigi froze for a moment, his silence immediately catching Mario’s attention.  There was no way he could lie to his brother, but telling him the truth would be a recipe for disaster.  He couldn’t tell Mario. Instead, he just… stretched the truth a bit. It wasn’t exactly dishonest, it just left out some of the more controversial details.

“U-um, a-a mix of things… I guess.  For a while I was enjoying Peach’s gardens, b-but then I thought I’d try and look around for some new balloon locations, yeah?”

Mario definitely picked up on the change in his tone, furrowing his brow in concern.

“Mmhmm.  Where’d you go?”  He asked, bringing his attention back to the pan he held.  “You seem a bit shaken up… are you sure you’re alright?”

“Y-yeah, I’m fine.  I actually went to, um, Bowser’s Kingdom of all places.”  

“Wow, alone?”  Mario blinked at him blankly, as if he couldn’t believe Luigi.  He didn’t seem mad, however. If anything, he seemed impressed. “That’s very, um, unlike you, bro.  You were just telling me how much that place stressed you out.”

“It still does!”

“Well, I’m always glad to see you step out of your comfort zone.  I know you can handle it.”

“Awwh, thanks, bro.”

As Luigi took a seat at the kitchen table, Mario dished out two helpings of the vegetables, happily setting the fuller plate down in front of Luigi before taking a seat.  It was clear by the portion size that Mario wasn’t originally planning to share, but did so anyways now that Luigi was home.

“Hey wait a second!”

“No, no, take it.  You must be starving.”

No matter what, they always had each other’s backs.  It’s like they could sense what each other felt and what they needed.  Plus, Luigi would be lying if he said he wasn’t hungry; the food looked appetizing, too.  His brother’s food _always_ looked delicious, even if it was simplistic.  Spices and love were the magic behind cooking, apparently.

“ _S_ _ei troppo gentile, fratello_.”

“Mm, _fai lo stesso_.”

Luigi smiled at his brother, knowing that even if he wanted to doubt it, Mario was right.  Almost their entire relationship was based around doing favors for each other, even when it inconvenienced themselves.  They were each other’s biggest supporters. For that, Luigi was eternally grateful, and Mario was certainly the same.

Yet it also left a sinking feeling in his chest, knowing he wasn’t completely honest about earlier in the day.  He had to tell Mario, and yet, he knew he couldn’t. Mario’s dislike of Bowser was intense, and even talking to the koopa on neutral terms would come off as absolute treason.  Luigi may have had a space left in his heart to give a second chance, but not Mario.

Maybe if Luigi slowly warmed him up to the idea, he too could change.

“Hey Mario,” Luigi began, causing the shorter brother to look up in the middle of swallowing a bite of food.

“Yeah, bro?”

“T-this is kind of a silly idea… just a rogue thought… but what would you do if one of our enemies became a good person?  Or at least… stopped being… bad?”

Mario scoffed almost immediately, shaking his head and sporting a puzzled, lopsided smirk.

“That’s impossible.  None of them have ever shown even a hint of wanting to be good in them.”

“Well, o-okay, but this is _if_ they did.  You never know, Mario.  Maybe one of them will change, and we just don’t know it yet!”

“I don’t think it’ll happen, but… I don’t know.  I wouldn’t just forgive over a decade of terror, destruction, and abuse just because someone acts nice for a little bit.  I don’t think I could ever trust anyone after that. They’re not worth our time anyway.”

Mario made a fair point.  To instantly forgive such a long history, regardless of the subject, was almost heinous.  It would have been an insult to anyone who had suffered from their enemy’s actions, too. People like Princess Peach didn’t have it easy; to erase everything people like Bowser had put her through would be a slap in the face, like telling her to get over it.

Although he couldn’t say it, Luigi hated being stuck in the middle.  Either way, he was going to end up hurting someone with the situation he got himself into, and there were downsides to any action he took at this point.  Essentially ghosting Bowser after breaking the ice felt like a betrayal of its own, yet interacting with him behind everyone’s back was dishonest to all of his friends, especially Peach and Mario.

“Luigi?  You okay, bro?”

Luigi was quickly brought out of his thoughts at the sound of his name.  It seems that he was lost in his thoughts for longer than he realized.

“Y-yeah, sorry.  I’m just a bit tired, is all.”

“You can head to bed if you’d like; I’ll clean up.”

“ _Grazie_ , Mario.  See you tomorrow.”

“ _Buona notte_ , Luigi.”

As soon as Luigi had climbed into bed, he was out like a light.  Long, morally conflicting days weren’t something he was used to, and it certainly took a toll on him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fai lo stesso - You do the same  
> Sei troppo gentile - You're too kind  
> Buona notte - Goodnight


	6. Chapter 6

This time, only a week had gone by before another unlabelled letter found its way into the mailbox, again addressed with a neatly written  _ Luigi _ and nothing else.  The envelope was slightly wrinkled as if someone had held it a bit too tightly and had a dusting of ash on it, but otherwise appeared fairly normal.  Plucking it out of the stack of mail before Mario had a chance to sort through it, Luigi took it to his room, tearing open the seal and unfolding its contents.

_ Luigi, _

_ Go out to the forest behind Peach’s castle as soon as you receive this letter.  Go alone. _

_ A lakitu’s cloud will be waiting for you.  Take it.  _

_ \- K.K. _

It was far from polite, but it was a step up from the previous letter.  It assured Luigi wouldn’t be knocked unconscious again, which was miles better than before.  Koopas may be stubborn, but it seemed like Bowser learned his lesson for once.

As Luigi was folding it back up, however, Mario stepped in, causing him to drop the letter in surprise.  It drifted across the floor, bumping into Mario’s shoe just before he reached down to pick it up. Thankfully, it landed upside down, preventing Mario from peaking at any of the contents: a seriously close call.

“Sorry about that,” Mario said, handing it back to his brother.  “I’m heading over to the castle to see Peach. Do you want to join me?”

“T-that’s okay.  Go without me.” Folding the letter back up and placing it into the envelope, Luigi flashed a sheepish smile.  He knew Mario was fond of the princess to the point of a slight crush, even if he never said anything about it.  It was probably best to let him have his chance. Plus, Luigi already had plans, according to the letter on his bed.

“Oh, you sure?”

“Yeah, bro.  I actually have my own plans today.  And anyway, I know you’re probably wanting to spend some time with Peach on your own.”

The light, mysterious laugh that ended his response left Mario red in the cheeks, mustache twitching in embarrassment.  They always knew how to push each other’s buttons and get a rise out of one another. Before Luigi could get too much joy out of it, however, Mario stepped forward, lightly smacking him on the head.

“Quit it, bro!”

“Not a chance!”

Mario spun on his heels to exit without a response, rounding the corner with a dismissive wave.  Deep down, they both knew it was a never-ending source of playful teasing, but it didn’t stop Mario from getting fussy about it.  

“Bye, bro,” he sighed, so overdramatic the two couldn’t help but laugh with each other for a second.

“ _ Ciao _ , Mario!”

Hearing the door shut, Luigi stood up to head out on his own, sliding the letter under a book on his desk.  He didn’t want to be late to his own plans. 

* * *

 

Just like the letter had said, an empty cloud waited for him beside a tree, hoisting him into the air and taking him to Bowser’s kingdom.  Eventually, the place came into view, multi-colored fog filling the air and the cloud soon dropping him onto the front steps to the castle.

Luigi didn’t hesitate to step inside, wandering through the corridors with the occasional guiding comment to a quaint room where Bowser waited.  When Luigi pushed open the screen to enter, he saw the koopa sitting on the floor, looking up at the first sign of movement. Beside him, Bowser Jr. sat on a small cushion with markers scattered around him, scribbling furiously onto a sheet of paper.  

“You’re... earlier than I expected.”

Before Luigi had a chance to respond, however, Junior looked up too, dropping his marker with a clatter and shifting to look at his father with a gasp.  The boy furrowed his brow as he poked Bowser in the arm repeatedly. It was obvious he was upset by the sudden intrusion, leading Luigi to take a step back from the door.

“The green Mario!”  Junior looked at Luigi again, sticking out his tongue.  “Listen, we didn’t do nothing! Go away! Papa, do something to scare him off!”

“I- I c-can come back l-later,” Luigi suggested, taking another step back from the door.

“Don’t come back at all, loser!”  Junior stamped his feet on the ground, glancing between the supposed intruder and his father.  For such a small body, the kid had a major attitude, practically glowing with a miniaturized version of Bowser’s own anger.  “Papa, why aren’t you-”

The boy was quickly hushed as the larger koopa placed a hand over his mouth.  

“ _ Junior _ , let me handle this.”  Bowser’s low voice was a clear warning.  He let out an irritated sigh, taking a moment to compose himself before looking up at Luigi again.  “You don’t need to leave, Luigi. Take a seat.”   
  
“O-oh.  Okay.” Luigi obliged, taking a seat on the floor far from the fuming koopa child at Bowser’s side.  Junior was staring at him, eyes squinted in disgust and arms crossed over his torso. He may be smaller than many foes, but he was still a considerable threat.

“You were bound to run into him eventually.  We might as well sort it out now,” Bowser shrugged, suppressing most of the remaining irritation that lingered in his voice.  While it wasn’t perfect, it was a nice gesture, considering the fiery temper he had. Quickly, he turned back to Junior. “Luigi’s here on good terms.  That means you are  _ not _ to harass him while he’s here.  Understand?”   


“But he’s always trying to fight us!  What’d he do? Why’s he on our side now?”

Both Bowser and Luigi cringed a bit at the mention of him switching sides to fight on behalf of the bad guys.  It was far from accurate, despite the strange acquaintanceship between them… and if anything, Bowser was the one changing, not Luigi.

“He’s not on-”  The koopa paused, seeming to rethink what he was saying.  “It’s something I’ll explain to you later. For now, just accept that he is a guest in our kingdom.”

“But I don’t like-”

“ _ Junior. _ ”  The growl in Bowser’s voice returned, causing Junior to back down.

“Ugh, fine!”

Luigi, unsure of what else to do, tried to defuse the tense situation with an amicable smile towards the child.  Yet, when Junior glanced at him, noticing it, he scowled, causing Luigi to falter and look away. All three of them avoided speaking.  Each of them wanted to do away with the unexpected situation, clashing with their own respective feelings on the matter. Bowser was irritated; Luigi was nervous; and Junior, as usual, was throwing a fit.

“I wanna be alone,” Junior eventually stated, a pouty tone warping his words into a whine.  Grabbing a few of the markers and sheets of clean paper within his reach, he stood up, stomping out the room.

Once again, Luigi and Bowser were left alone, still sitting without a single word muttered between them.  Now that Junior had moved out of the room, the air was far less heavy, yet neither of them could figure out a decent recovery.  Silence was becoming a far-too-common occurrence for them.

“I didn’t intend for you two to meet like that,” Bowser sighed.  “I’m sorry you had to deal with his poor attitude.”

“... It’s okay.  I don’t think any of us were expecting it.”

“Still.  I invited you into my home; a guest deserves better.”

“Listen, if it means anything, Bowser… I’ve dealt with a lot worse from him before.  You know, when he actually has a reason to fight me.”

Bowser nodded his head in agreement, looking over at Luigi with a strangely reassuring gaze.

“He’ll get better… he just needs some time to adjust.”

“Most kids do.”

Finding curiosity to get the better of him during another pause in the conversation, Luigi moved from his spot to grab one of the color-filled pages Junior had left behind.  Scattered doodles of monsters and a single depiction of himself covered any open space on the paper, practically overflowing with content to look at. The art was impressive for Junior's age, warranting an amused smile and a barely audible  _ how cute _ from him.

“Isn’t he a great artist?”  Bowser asked, beaming with a prideful grin.  The amount of happiness radiating from him was off-putting but ultimately sweet to see.  For someone so commonly seen as pure terror, he had an awfully gentle side to him when it came to his son.

“He's very skilled.  I didn't know he drew much… beyond tagging buildings and making a mess of the public.”

“He got his start through Isle Delfino, really.”

“Sheesh, now  _ that _ was a mess.  Forget the occasional tag, he covered the whole island.”

“That's my boy, alright!  He went above and beyond! I couldn't have been more proud!”  Bowser let out a deep, hearty laugh, though it was short lived as he noticed Luigi's unimpressed quirk of the brow.  To him, it may have been entertaining to see the island in a panic, but the plumber only remembered the frustration it caused for his brother.  Mario was framed for the crimes, after all.

“H-he caused a lot of damage, you know.  You both did,” Luigi challenged.

“It's still a fond memory.  Look at it from my perspective.”

“Look at it from the  _ island's _ perspective.”

Bowser and Luigi locked eyes.  Neither of them faltered, even Luigi, despite his hands starting to quake in fear.  Deep down, they both knew Luigi was right in challenging him; the problem was getting Bowser to fully realize it and accept his mistakes.  He was still caught in his own impression of the matter, finding the island's problems to be for his amusement.

“Delfino's problems aren't my problems.”

“Except they  _ are _ .  You were the one who caused them.”

“Yeah, and?”

With a disappointed scoff, Luigi shook his head.  The koopa wasn't going to back down easily, but they were too far into it for the conversation to be dropped.  Plus, this was an opportunity. Maybe if he could just get through to him, Bowser might learn something.

“Look, you need a lesson in empathy.”

“ _ Excuse _ me?  I don't need a lesson in anything.”  Bowser was getting increasingly defensive, his tail swaying with sharp flicks side to side.

“Actually, you do.  I know you understand the concept, you just need to use it.  Now listen to me. How would you feel if someone took this entire kingdom, all of its hard work and inhabitants, and completely smashed it to pieces?  Every bit of hard work, every hour of design, suddenly pulled out of your hands when you were busy just trying to live your life? Pretty cheated, yeah?”

“Obviously.”

“So why should it be fine when  _ you're _ that someone?”

“Well, clearly it’s not fine to you, but I don't care about the morality of it,” Bowser insisted, approaching Luigi and prodding him in the chest.  “I get what I want, regardless of what it takes. If it means taking down those in my way, so be it.”

Luigi stood his ground, flinching at the jab but otherwise staying put.

“You do care.  You just don't  _ want _ to.”

“And what makes you think  _ that _ ?”

“Because you’re not as bad as you make yourself out to be.  You’re a political tyrant who’s done horrible things to get your hands on other kingdoms, but Mario and I have seen far worse than you.  You take over kingdoms and kidnap our princess; others try to tear apart life as a whole!”   
  
“How  _ dare _ you insul-”   
  
“I-I don’t mean it like that!”  Luigi quickly realized how easily his comment could be interpreted as an insult, backtracking with a dismissive wave from each hand.  “I’m not talking about strength or success. I just mean… you’re not as evil as the rest of them. You’re still human- er- or- well… not human but- you still.. have humanity.”

His last sentence, although it turned into a stutter-filled mess halfway through, seemed to change the air in the room.  Instead of Bowser continuing his side of the argument, he partially dropped his menacing persona, taking a step back from Luigi.

“I don’t understand.”  No longer a roar, Bowser’s voice felt vaguely empty.

“I-it’s like-”

“No, I know the expression.  I just don’t understand.”

Luigi awkwardly scratched the back of his head, unsure of what the koopa meant.  Understand  _ what _ ?  He flashed a confused expression at him, encouraging a more thorough explanation.  He couldn’t do any help without one.

“You, of all people, see humanity in  _ me. _ ”

Oh. 

“... Not on the surface, no.  But it’s there; you’ve just gotten used to hiding it.”

“Yeah?  If you’re so sure, prove it.”

“Well, you’re listening to me, for one thing.  You could have roasted me the moment I stood my ground, but you  _ didn’t _ .”  Luigi bent down to the floor, picking up another one of Junior’s drawings and shoving it into Bowser’s hands.  The koopa didn’t protest, taking it and scanning the contents. “And even if that was a fluke, you can’t tell me that the bond you have with your son doesn’t mean anything to you.  When you talked about him, it was like he was your entire universe! I saw pure, unconditional love for him: something that can’t be faked. If you can show that, then you have humanity, regardless of how buried it is.”

The room went quiet as if time had stopped.

Bowser refused to look at him, his hands gripping the paper tightly.  Looking closer, Luigi noticed a faint tremor to him, only spotted in the way the page wobbled.  It was clear that his words hit home.

Was he…?

“... Are you o-”

“I’m  _ fine _ ,” Bowser spat, though his words lacked any fire to them, sounding faintly like he was trying to hold back a more vulnerable tone.  Luigi’s suspicion was only confirmed as the koopa reached up to his face with one hand, rubbing at his eye and poorly attempting to hide it with a scratch of his nose.

He was.

“See?  You do have a soft side to you,” Luigi chuckled, a warm smile pulling at his cheeks.  “A  _ good _ side.”

A quiet  _ thank you _ was the only thing Bowser managed to get out before turning further away from the plumber, his tail dragging limply against the ground.  Luigi looked over him for a moment, trying to decipher what was going on inside the koopa’s head. No luck, other than knowing it was putting a damper on his mood.  For now, it seemed like conversations would go nowhere, anyways. They both needed time to process things.

“I’ll, um, give you some time alone… it seems like you need it.  Unless you have any complaints, why don’t I stop by again tomorrow.”

“I’d like that.”

“Then I’ll see you later, Bowser.  Same time tomorrow, at the gardens, this time.”  Luigi paused for a moment as he walked over to the room’s exit.  “Feel… better.”

“I will.”


	7. Chapter 7

The following day, Luigi didn’t waste any time before travelling to Bowser’s kingdom.  It was the same routine as before, searching for a cloud hiding in forestry, allowing it to carry him to his destination, and finding himself lost amidst the colorful fog until he was set down onto one of the floating platforms.  Like last time, the area seemed to be in perfect condition: the grass was evenly trimmed, decor was shined to perfection, and there wasn’t a single spot of dust on the teahouse in the center. It was impressive, to say the least.

Luigi scanned the plot of land, spotting Bowser at the edge of the garden, resting with a cup of tea in his hands.  He was staring off into the clouds, and although Luigi wasn’t close, he could tell that the koopa’s demeanor was… off.  There was a subtle slouch in his posture and his shoulders were looser than normal; he seemed at ease, for once.

“Hey!”  Luigi called out, walking over once he saw Bowser turn and gesture to the space beside him as an invitation.  The grass felt cold and damp under his hands as he took a seat, leaving a touch of green on his once-pristine gloves, encouraging him to rest them in his lap.  It seemed that the morning dew still had yet to dry off. “Doing better?”

Bowser nodded, earning a bright smile from the plumber.

“I have something for you.  For what happened yesterday,” Bowser began, picking up a small, rectangular package and pushing it into Luigi’s hands.  It was fairly light, sporting a rich, crimson-colored paper with a thin string wrapped around it that pinned a letter to the top.  While a bit clumsily wrapped, a clear effort was put into it; that was all that mattered. “Save the letter for when you get home. It’s not important right now.”

When Luigi looked up to thank him, he could see Bowser looking away as if he was afraid to make eye contact.   It was probably best not to ask about it. Obviously, it made him uncomfortable, even if Luigi was more curious than ever about the contents.

“Please, open it.”

As gloved fingers removed the letter and carefully lifted at the taped edges, undoing the paper without putting a single tear in it to reveal the contents, Luigi smiled.  It was a small, cloth-bound notebook, embossed with gold accents near the binding. He didn’t have many uses for notebooks, but he appreciated the gift nonetheless; he could easily find a use for it if he wanted to, and worst case, it would make for a lovely decoration on his desk.

“Oh, _che bello_ ,” he remarked, peeking at the empty pages inside.  “Thank you!”

“It should be me thanking you, if anything.”

“... If you say so.”

The two sat in silence again, falling back into their usual pattern, but unlike last time, there was no lingering awkwardness.  Luigi felt at peace with the situation, no longer having to compete with anxiety over his lack of trust in the koopa, and Bowser, although difficult to read, seemed content as well.  In a way, it felt more like a natural lull in conversation between friends.

Friends.  What a strange word for the two of them; he couldn’t tell if it was quite right.

“Hey, um, Bowser,” Luigi began, twiddling his thumbs in his lap.  He felt a bit guilty for letting curiosity get the better of him. “Do you still consider me an… enemy?”

Bowser furrowed his brow at the inquiry, though not in anger; it was more confused than anything.

“I don’t know.  I don’t consider us to be on bad terms; not anymore… but…” He didn’t finish his thought.

They both looked at each other for a moment before Bowser spoke up again, challenging Luigi with the same question.

“Do you?”

“I-I think I’m in the same boat as you, r-really?”  The statement was posed as a question, lacking any confidence.  He couldn’t help it; different parts of him wanted to say different things, and each feeling conflicted with one another.  “We’re not on bad terms, but, um- I don’t really know anything beyond that. Maybe I would have known before, but yesterday sort of… made me rethink?”

Directing his attention away from Luigi, Bowser huffed in acknowledgment but gave no hint of an opinion on the matter.  He was as stoic as he usually was, almost to a fault. It was a complete reverse of yesterday, where almost every emotion had slipped through his persona at least a tad.  It was, in a way, too harsh of a change to feel right.

“I mean that in a good way.  I hope you know that,” Luigi pressed, hoping to catch a change in the koopa’s dry attitude.

Nothing more than a nod.

Luigi was quickly losing hope in the matter.  Regardless of the reason why, if he wasn’t even going to participate in the conversation, there wasn’t a point in trying.  Propping up his head in his hands, he sighed and stared out into the sky in a similar manner. Luigi was going to wait until he talked, even if it was just to shoo him away.

The two didn’t share a single word for so long that if someone else had seen them, they would have assumed something was wrong.  Yet, when Luigi realized the sheer amount of time that had passed, he didn’t have a chance to interrupt the silence. It seemed that Bowser had noticed the same thing.

“I’m surprised you haven’t left, yet.”

“O-oh, I can leave if you w-want me to.  I, um, was kind of waiting for you.”  Luigi noted the strange shift in his demeanor, wondering what was on his mind.

“To do what?”

“To do anything… really.  You’re unusually quiet today and, well, if I wanted to talk to a wall, I would have hung out with a thwomp.”

From the corner of his eye, Luigi saw Bowser turn to look at him.  He seemed… guilty. It was the same look as before: a faint, almost lost expression paired with a hand reaching up to mess with the collar around his neck.  It would be a lie if Luigi had said he wasn’t at least a little thankful to see something other than a stone-faced glare, but it was bizarre to see.

“I… there’s a lot on my mind,” Bowser conceded, immediately looking away when Luigi looked back at him directly.

“You could talk about it,” Luigi suggested.  “You can trust me to keep a secret.”

“It’s weak.  Too sensitive.”

“I beg to differ.  It shows strength if anything.”

Bowser quirked a brow, scoffing at the comment.  It was obvious that he found the statement to be comedic, rather than genuine.

“I’m serious,” Luigi insisted.  “Facing your own thoughts is difficult; downright scary sometimes.  Sure, it looks pathetic to some, but that’s because they can’t _see_ anything.  They don’t know what’s going on and how real it actually is.”

“I don’t see how talking about it _fixes_ anything.”

“Well, i-it doesn’t.”

“So there’s no point.”

“Just because something doesn’t fix the problem, it doesn’t mean it’s worthless.  It can still make you feel better.”

Bowser gave a small, but understanding _hm_ , in response, not having much more of an argument.  There was an obvious aura of discomfort to him, trying and failing to find a way around the conversation without admitting anything.

“If you’re not ready to share, that’s okay too.”  Luigi flashed another one of his token, warm smiles.  It was true that talking about emotional turmoil was healthy, and his curiosity was getting increasingly worse, but it was equally important to give people their space.  He had far too many experiences with people pushing him too far; he wasn’t about to become a hypocrite.

“No, you’re right.”

Luigi honestly didn’t expect that to work, evident by a look of surprise washing over his face for a split second.

“Take your time; as much as you need.”

Eventually, after a moment of the koopa collecting his thoughts, he spoke up.  Luigi held his smile, silently encouraging him.

“Yesterday just… left me thinking: you’ve been so kind to me.  I’ve gotten this kind of respect from my underlings, and the Koopalings to an extent, but…”  Bowser paused, shaking his head. “It’s different. With them, it’s like an obligation. From what I know, they like it here - they would have left if they didn’t - but it’s not like when you talk to me.”

“Work relationships are different.”

“Yes, but you _challenge_ me.  You don’t pretend to idolize or tolerate me like they do, but you don’t immediately push me away like your brother and his friends do, either.  You’re patient, you listen, you don’t let me get my way, but you don’t instantly reject my presence. It feels like for once, I’m talking to someone that sees me as another person.”

“Because you are.”

The koopa sighed.

“No, I don’t mean like that,” he continued.  “I mean, you talk to me like I’m _somebody_.  Even right now, you _listen_ to me like I’m somebody.  At first, I hated it; it felt demeaning and frustrating to hear a protest to what I say.  I hated the pity I got from you. After what you said, though, about seeing humanity in me, that I’m multifaceted…”

“... It put things in a different light?”

“Yeah.  You treat me like I’m not above _or_ below you.  You don’t talk to me and just see good or evil, you see… me, I guess.  Hm, how cliche, saying it out loud.”

“It’s not cliche.”  Luigi gave a small shrug.  “Or, maybe it is, but it’s still the right way to treat someone.”

“It’s just something I’ve never been given before, I guess.  I didn’t even think this kind of respect _existed_.  It’s almost… better than what others give me.  It doesn’t feel forced.”

“Isn’t that how friends are supposed to treat each other?”  Luigi’s mustache twitched as he caught himself, realizing his word choice.  He called Bowser, his once sworn enemy and threat to the Mushroom Kingdom, a friend.  It slipped out before he could process it, but excuses meant nothing. What he said couldn’t be taken back, and deep down, he knew it was true.

When he looked up to try and explain himself, Bowser was already staring directly at him, his expression blank with mild surprise.  Underneath the shock, however, he could swear there was the vaguest of thankfulness. Maybe the Freudian slip wasn’t that bad after all.

“Is that what this is?” Bowser pondered, looking back out at the sky.  At first, the comment seemed to be mocking Luigi, but deep down it seemed more legitimate, albeit poorly phrased.

“W-well, from the looks of it, any of the ‘friends’ I’ve ever seen have only been there to give you more power.  Those aren’t really anything beyond business partners.”

“Good point.”

“Y-yeah.”

They shared another bout of silence, both awkwardly staring at their feet for an uncomfortably long amount of time; they were both, admittedly, pretty terrible at this.  Around them, the air felt still and heavy, prompting Luigi to silently twiddle his thumbs and poke at the grass stains in his gloves.

He wasn’t brought out of his silence until Bowser cleared his throat in a poor attempt to lighten the mood.

“So… you think of us as friends, then.  You did know.”

“I-I guess so.  Sorry, I just- I wasn’t sure how you would act- so I- I didn’t want to say anything until I was sure and then it just slipped out and-”  The plumber was becoming increasingly flustered with each word, getting lost in his own thoughts and wishes that he could rewind to try again.  He only stopped when Bowser reached a hand out and patted his shoulder, quieting him instantly.

“It’s fine,” Bowser said, offering a shrug of his shoulders.  
  
“ _Mamma mia_ , I wish I didn’t-”

“Luigi, stop explaining yourself.”

It was Luigi’s turn to be surprised, whispering a small _sorry_ as his cheeks flushed a bright pink.  Unlike Bowser, he was miserable at hiding his abashment, only able to hide a portion of his face with his hands.  It didn’t do much to stop the koopa from noticing, who watched until Luigi looked back and met his gaze for a split second.

“I... think you should go home and read the letter.”

“Wait, right now?”

“You can come back tomorrow, if you’d like to.  Just… go home and read it first.”

“B-but I’ve only been here for-”

“Please.”

“I... if you say so.”  Luigi reluctantly accepted the request, dropping his hands from his face to pick up the gift and letter from the ground.  Whatever was inside, it was painfully obvious that Bowser didn’t want to see it again.

He left with a small wave, resisting all temptation to rip open the letter once he was out of sight.  It would have to wait until he got home, and, for some reason, Luigi felt like it was for the best.


	8. Chapter 8

_Luigi,_

_I don’t know how to say this to you in person, but thank you for what you said the last time we spoke.  I know I rejected it at first and I apologize for reacting so violently; at the time it was overwhelming.  You didn’t deserve to deal with that._

_I’m writing this because, otherwise, I risk acting hostile again instead of telling the truth.  I know honesty is something you want to see from anyone you talk to, including me. I’m going to try my best to do that.  You don’t have to agree with me, just so you’re aware. I know this is a difficult, confusing situation for both of us, and our stances on the war between kingdoms make this even tougher._

_But I want you to know this:  I’ve realized that you are no longer my enemy._

_I think I might call you a friend, even._

_I hope that, regardless of what I am to you, this continues.  Talking to you has become a highlight of my week, and I’m forever grateful for our initial chat on the moon, even if I doubted it at first.  You’ve helped me like no other._

_Thank you._

_\- K.K._

_P.S.  I don’t know if this is worth much, but since talking to you, I haven’t even had the desire to infiltrate the Mushroom Kingdom again.  Not even to see the princess. I’m not sure why, but I appreciate it regardless. You don’t need to worry over another kidnapping for a long while._

Luigi had read over the letter several times, getting increasingly flustered with each pass and starting over passages to make sure he was really, truly, reading it correctly.  He couldn’t believe the sheer amount of care that went into the writing; it was, while a bit messy, genuine beyond measurement. Even the amount of ink on the paper seemed to carry the right intonation, each period looking like Bowser had held the pen down long enough for ink to sink into the paper while he thought of the next sentence.

Letting the paper slip from his hands and rest on his desk, he smoothed it flat, reading over it again.  So Bowser _did_ think of him as a friend; the feeling was mutual.  He couldn’t help but chuckle softly, feeling a wave of relief over what happened earlier.  Any anxiety over his stuttering mess of a comment earlier had ceased, being replaced with happiness.

In a way, he wished Bowser had just let him read the letter while he was there.  It would have saved so much time, even if it would have made for an awkward silence as they each gathered their thoughts.

“ _L'hai reso così difficile,_ ” he muttered to himself, scanning the letter yet again.  Though, rethinking it, Luigi wondered whether it was Bowser who made things difficult, himself, or the unfortunate state of affairs.

Perhaps it was all three.

He folded the letter back up after a final reading, lingering just a little longer on the section that clarified their entire relationship and erased the remaining bad blood between them.  They were friends; legitimate, agreed-upon friends.

Only when Luigi heard another set of footsteps approaching his room was he shaken out of his thoughts, folding the remaining part of the letter and stuffing it back into its envelope in a panic.  He quickly, although clumsily slid the letter under the newly gifted notebook just as Mario had peaked into the room.

Mario furrowed his brow at the ruffled appearance of his brother, just barely catching the panicked shifting of things on his desk and noticing the new addition to it.  Even that tiny snippet of seeing things shuffled around was enough to intrigue him.

“Hey, what’s that?” Mario asked, approaching him at the desk.  He picked up the notebook and, to Luigi’s relief, ignored the letter underneath it as he ran his hands over the cover.  “Looks nice, though I know you don’t have much use for stuff like this. Where did you get it from?

Luigi wisely slid the letter off the desk and stuck it in his pocket as he turned to face Mario directly, forcing a sheepish smile.  Now wasn’t a good time to let things get more complicated and potentially ruin the newly formed friendship he had.

“O-oh, um.  I… got it from a... friend.”  It wasn’t the full story, but it was the truth.

“Nuh-uh, I need answers, bro!  You got it from Peasley, didn’t you?  I can see the look on your face, all shy like that!  It’s gotta be him!” Mario’s grin was bright and cheerful, a complete contrast to Luigi’s nervous, embarrassed demeanor.  He didn’t take long to pick up on it, poking his brother in the nose to try and get him to smile. “Riiiiight bro? Who else could make you go so red in the face?”

“H-hey, quit it!  I-it’s not Prince Peasley.  I promise!” He couldn’t help but crack a bit, letting out a giggle at Mario’s teasing.  It seemed that Mario always knew how to get at least a smirk out of him, even in the worst of situations.  “But I can’t- well, I’m not going to tell you who it is.”

“Aww, Luigi.  Come on, you know you can tell me!  Don’t be embarrassed, I won’t tease… mostly. Aha!”

“I really can’t, Mario.  Not this time.”

Mario backed down at the shift in tone, losing his childlike smile and giving a pained expression in its place.  It was so unlike them to ever carry secrets between one another. To start now, over a simple _friend_ , destroyed him.  It was obvious in the way his face drooped, his mustache even losing a bit of its curl.

“Oh.  I can’t make you, Luigi, but...” he drifted off, choosing to hop up onto the desk as a makeshift seat.  “Since when have you ever been so nervous about something that you can’t even tell _me_?  I don’t get it.  We’ve been as thick as thieves since the beginning.  There’s nothing you could tell me that would make me upset.”

“Mario, it’s… complicated.  Believe me when I say I want to tell you, I just… can’t.”

Avoiding eye contact, Luigi could feel his brother’s gaze on him.  Mario was too naive to even consider the reality as an actual option.  It was true that he wasn’t mad for hiding anything, as they both had each other’s happiness at heart, but he was still, very obviously, hurt.

Yet after a moment of disappointment, Mario perked up again, a clever smirk pulling at his cheeks.

“How about… you don’t use names or anything that gives them away.  That way I can at least cheer you on from the sidelines, even if I can’t know who it is!  A good compromise, yes?”

“Ugh, bro, your persistence will be the end of me.  I… guess that’s fine, though,” Luigi groaned, looking back up at his brother, mock-helplessly.  Mario immediately returned to a more chipper attitude, patting Luigi on the head and squishing his hat down in the process.

Luigi swatted his hands away to fix his cap as Mario flashed another signature wink.

“So, what’s the deal with this new friend, anyway? ”

“W-well… we ran into each other while I was out looking for places to continue our balloon game.  Believe it or not, I used to _dislike_ him.  He hated me, too, really.  But, um, w-we ended up actually getting along quite well and setting aside our differences… and well, um, started spending more time together.  I used to think he was a terrible person; it turns out he’s actually very nice, if you take the time to get to know him.”

“Wow, just like that, huh?”  Mario appeared fascinated with the story, even if it lacked any bells and whistles.  He was just as happy to see his brother share about his simple life as he was to hear stories full of battles and triumph.  “You’ve always been good at talking down the rougher ones, Luigi. It’s nice to see you earned a friend in the process.”

“Y-yeah.  It was a bit of a struggle at first; we butted heads over a few things, but we made it work.”

Mario eyed the notebook again, turning it in his hands to inspect it before Luigi plucked it out of his grip and set it back down on the table.  It didn’t sit for very long before Mario picked it up again and ran a finger along the gold decoration, earning an eye roll from his brother.

“And he even got you a gift!”

“Y-yeah, it was kind of an apology for a fight we got into.  It was actually really genuine; he wrote a nice letter for me too.  I’d show it to you, but… um... ”

“It’s personal.  I get it, bro.”

Luigi nodded weakly, thankful that Mario was taking it well.  The situation was far from ideal, but as usual, the brothers found a compromise that satisfied both of them.  For them, family was unbreakable. Even when it seemed like they were at wit’s end with each other, frustrated with their decisions and furious with the outcome, they moved past it.

The only reason Luigi hesitated to be honest, just this once, is because their feuds were never over something as serious as befriending a nemesis.  It was the one, single time that he couldn’t tell whether it would work out or not, and he wasn’t ready to test it just yet.

It seemed that Mario could sense the building guilt in his brother, however, quickly pulling him into a firm hug and interrupting his thoughts.  Luigi immediately hugged back; it helped.

“I’m sure you’re doing the right thing,” he smiled, giving a quick squeeze before letting go.  “But hey, just one question.”

“ _S-sì_ , Mario?”

“Do you think he’s cute?”

“ _W-what_ ?!”  Luigi’s cheeks instantly flushed bright red, burning with embarrassment as his hands flew up to cover his face, sending Mario into a fit of loud laughter.  He could feel his entire face warm up as if he was sitting in front of a fire. How could his brother have the audacity to ask such a thing? Here he was, struggling to work through a serious friendship, and Mario had to ask if the mystery friend was _cute_.  “A-absolutely not!”

“ _Mamma mia_ , you’re so easy to figure out, Luigi.”

“I’m being serious!  It’s not like that at all!”

It was a genuine, honest claim.  Before his brother had said anything, the thought hadn’t crossed Luigi’s mind, and now that it did, it was laughable.  It seemed far too bizarre to even consider. There were probably _worse_ options out there if he had to pick… but there was no reason to bother thinking about that.

“Oh, that’s too bad.  What’s he even look like, anyway?”

“He’s… well, pretty unique.  Telling you anything specific would give too much away,”  Luigi shrugged. “But he’s very strong, and, um, tall, too.  He’s a little rough around the edges, really; intimidating.”

Mario chuckled in response, hopping off of the desk and playfully elbowing his brother in the arm.

“Sounds like he’s pretty tough.  I wonder if he’d be good in a brawl!”

“Oh, he’s been in a lot of fights before.  He wouldn’t ever beat you though!” While Mario didn’t know it, Luigi was hyper-aware of just how true the words were.  It wasn’t a theoretical situation; it was a fact. Bowser was, one way or another, always bested by Mario.

“Well, yeah!  If I can handle King Koopa, I can handle anybody.”

Oh, the irony.

“Y-yeah... Of course, bro.”

Exchanging glances, the brothers let the conversation fade out.  Mario’s curiosity had been satisfied for the time being, his questions and teases finally ceasing.  If one thing was for sure, Luigi was thankful. He no longer had to monitor his words, nor stress about the mess he had found himself lost in.

“Well, before I got carried away with all of that,” the shorter brother began with a shrug as he stepped towards the room’s exit.  “I wanted to ask if it was alright to have Princess Peach here tomorrow for brunch. She’s been antsy to get out of the castle lately and…”

“That’s fine by me.  The princess is always welcome here.”  Luigi turned around in his chair, flashing a grin.  However, it quickly faded in embarrassment as he remembered: he had already been invited back to Bowser’s kingdom.

Mario promptly picked up on the silent cue.

“You already have plans?” he asked.

“Y-yeah… sorry, bro.”

“ _Va bene_.  I’ll make sure to save you a little of everything.”  With a friendly wave, he rounded the corner of the doorway, disappearing from sight and leaving Luigi on his own again.

His brother’s patience was otherworldly.  Luigi wasn’t quite sure how he was so understanding.  

* * *

The next morning, Luigi awoke to a noisy clatter of dishes in the other room, followed by a scamper of footsteps running past his door.  There was a strong smell of spices in the air, drifting in from the doorway and tickling his nose. It smelled divine; Luigi couldn’t help but hum in delight, though he found himself disappointed that he wouldn’t be around to enjoy it.  He was always saddened when he missed out on his brother’s cooking.

Scrambling to get dressed and sneak his way into the kitchen, possibly to leach a few bites of food off of Mario, Luigi checked the time: 9:45 am.  He still had a little time before he had to leave, though it wasn’t much to work with.

“ _Buongiorno_ , Mario,”  Luigi yawned, still adjusting from his asleep state.  “Is everything alright? I woke up to something breaking, from the sound of it.”

“ _Buongiorno_!  Nothing broke; there’s just a little spill, is all.”

Mario gestured with his thumb to a bunched-up towel on the ground behind him, soaked and dark at the bottom from soaking up the spill.  On the table above it sat an empty, albeit wet glass with a stray droplet of water rolling down the side. The problem had already been solved, it seemed.

“You have good timing, bro.”  Mario smiled as brushed a pile of chopped onions into a pan.  “The princess should be here in just a moment if you have the time to say hello.”

“I have a few minutes to spare.”

Almost immediately after he had the chance to reply, a light knock from the front door alerted both of them, prompting Mario to rush from the kitchen.  Good timing was an understatement.

Princess Peach, donning a light sundress instead of her usual gown, immediately smiled and waved at Luigi as the front door was opened, greeting Mario next with a kiss on the cheek.  It wasn’t hard for either her or Luigi to see the pink tint to the brother’s face, even as he did his best to brush it off, though neither of them paid much attention to it. Luigi was used to it, and Peach, sporting an ideal level of politeness, never pushed or teased.

“Thank you for inviting me here, you two.”  From behind her, a toad escort handed a petite white box to her before taking their leave.  “I thought it wouldn’t be fair to show up empty-handed, so I brought some fire-flower scones to share with you.”

“Awwh, Princess, how kind!”  Mario happily took the box from her hands, carrying it back to the kitchen to join back up with Luigi and the unattended food.  She followed closely behind, planting a kiss on Luigi’s cheek once she stepped close enough. “I remember the last time you made these, they were a huge hit.  How many did you eat, Luigi? Almost three of them, right?”

“Actually…” It was Luigi’s turn to be embarrassed.  He couldn’t help but cave when it came to Peach’s pastries; she was a master at everything from cupcakes to galettes.  “I think it was closer to five.”

“Well, I packed plenty extra, Luigi.  You can enjoy as many as you’d like during brunch.”

“Actually, Peach, I was just on my way out to see a friend.  As much as I wish I could stay… I can’t.”

“A friend?”

Mario chimed in with a giggle and wink at his brother.

“I wouldn’t bother asking who it is.  It’s a secret. Even _I_ don’t know!”

Peach, showing a hint of surprise, clasped her hands together.  She was almost as familiar with the brothers as they were with each other, so even she knew it was unusual for anything to be kept hidden from one another.  Still, she showed no signs of pressing on the matter, humming quietly before looking towards the white pastry box.

“Well, please take some scones with you, then.  There’s more than enough for both you and your mystery friend to share.”

There wasn’t even a slight chance Luigi would turn down the offer, immediately pulling a paper sack from one of the drawers to fill with an abundance of pastries.  His hunger got the better of him, no doubt, but he was sure to pack some with Bowser in mind. Assuming he could hold off from munching on them, they could enjoy it together.

“Thank you very much, Princess,” Luigi beamed.  “I should get going… but I hope you have a delightful brunch with Mario.  He made everything with you in mind.”

Both Peach and Mario shared a blush as Luigi waved goodbye, stepping out of the kitchen and quietly exiting the house with the pastries in hand.  Though as soon as the door shut, he couldn’t help but put a bounce in his step; after the letter he read the night before and the delicious food in hand, there was no possible way he _couldn’t_ be overjoyed.  For a moment, it felt like the world was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:  
> L'hai reso così difficile - "You make this so difficult"  
> Va bene - "It's okay"  
> Buongiorno - "Good morning"
> 
> I realize I may have forgotten some translations in earlier chapters. If you want me to add them in, don't hesitate to let me know!


	9. Chapter 9

When Luigi landed in Bowser’s Kingdom again, he found himself rushing to the entrance of the castle, hardly aware of his surroundings as he crossed the stone pathways and passed pairs of statues that towered over him.  He practically glided across the remaining section of the kingdom, only slowing his quickened pace when he arrived at the castle proper, though still moving fairly quick in comparison to the average stroll.

This time, when he entered, he was met with a silent goomba that beckoned for him to follow it further into the building.  Bowser was already expecting him, from the sound of it. Travelling through the long corridors, Luigi was eventually brought to the same room he visited the first time.

He could hear murmurs through the walls, too muffled to understand the words of, but clear enough to pick out the voices.  One of them, gruff and low, was easy to pick out as Bowser’s, while the other, shrill and whiny to the point of almost hurting his ears, sounded identical to the koopa’s son.

The goomba pushed the sliding screen door open and disappeared without warning, bringing clarity to the voices before they ceased altogether at the new presence in the room and forcing Luigi to awkwardly step forward.  Whether Bowser intended for his moments with Junior to overlap or not, Luigi struggled to feel like he wasn’t intruding on their father-son bonding; the last occasion hardly made it easy.

“Ah, good, you’re here,” Bowser greeted, welcoming the plumber with a faint smile.

“G-good?  B-but I’m… well, um… but last time-” Luigi couldn’t find the proper words.  Instead, he gestured at the smallest figure in the room, who sat with a nasty pout that scrunched his face.

Junior’s mood was already soured, unsurprising to Luigi.  By now, it was old news.

“I wanted him to be here.  He wanted a second chance to treat you as a proper guest.”  Bowser turned his attention to his son, reaching out to pat him on the head.  “ _Right_ , Junior?”

His voice came out much more firm this time, clearly implying that Junior had already been scolded for the poor attitude he had last time.  Junior, however, didn’t budge. He crossed his arms, looking away with a roll of his eyes.

However, before Bowser could react, Luigi jostled the bag of pastries in his hand to interrupt.

“I-it’s okay.  Um, I brought scones.  I thought we could share them, and there’s enough for Junior to have some too.”

“I don’t want any.  They’re probably gross,” Junior snapped.  

Luigi chose to ignore the comment, stepping closer to the pair and sitting on the ground in front of them.  While Junior tried to scoot away to no avail, being pulled back into place by his father, Bowser seemed intrigued by the offer.

“I didn’t see you as much of a baker.”

“I’m… not.  Princess Peach made them.  When I told her I was visiting a friend, she sent me with extra, so they’re… technically for you.”

Both koopas instantly lit up at the mention of the princess, Bowser’s snout twitching in an unreadable expression and Junior’s eyes sparkling as he grinned wide.  For their own reasons, they were thrilled to hear even the slightest mention of her. Luigi chose not to humor them, awkwardly shifting in his seat. Their adoration for the princess was painfully one-sided, even if it ever bothered them before.

“Really?  Peach made them?  Forget what I said earlier!  I want one!” Junior immediately snatched the bag out of Luigi’s hands, digging through it and pulling out a scone.  Before he had the chance to take a bite, however, it was forced from his hands by his father, who looked like he was at the end of his patience.

“You’re not getting _any_ if you keep up the attitude.”

Luigi wasn’t entirely sure, but he swore he saw Junior’s entire world shatter for a moment.  The kid had clear priorities. He chose not to pay too much attention to it, pulling a scone out of the bag for himself.

“They’re fire-flower scones, s-so they have a gentle, but long-lasting warmth to them.  I hope you like them as much as I do; they’re actually one of my favorites!”

“A favorite?  Well, one can’t hurt.”

He could sense Bowser’s gaze lingering on him for a moment, though when he moved his head to look back up at him, the koopa was already looking elsewhere.  A nervous chuckle escaped him, confused by the incident. It was probably nothing, but it still caught him off guard. Usually, Bowser struggled to look at anyone unless it was to intimidate them.

Nonetheless, he opted to speak again, not wanting the silence in the room to become too deafening.

“U-um, Junior, do you want one?”  The answer was already made clear, but Luigi wanted to give him a chance at redemption.  As difficult as it was to tolerate interacting with him, he was just a kid, still learning how to handle the world.

“ _Duh_ , I thought that was already cle-”  A gentle, but warning smack upside the head from Bowser made Junior stop with a slight grumble.  “Ugh… Yeah, I want one.”

Luigi wasn’t necessarily pleased with the answer, disappointed that he didn’t even get a ‘please’ from the young koopa, but it was acceptable enough.  His standards couldn’t be too high. He shrugged, tilting the bag towards Junior and flashing a warm, friendly smile.

Junior didn’t respond to it, quietly chomping down on the pastry and spilling crumbs on the floor below him.  It didn’t take long for a smile to creep onto his face, however, the treat instantly improving his mood as the delicate flavor set in.  Beside him, Bowser ate the pastry in a single bite, immediately letting out a hum of delight. The scones were a hit.

Luigi offered another round of them as he took a second for himself, immediately watching the bag get squashed and rustled by the father-son duo reaching for more.

It was a shame to think this was the first, and likely only time they were ever willingly given food from the princess.  While it was ultimately their own fault, Luigi couldn’t help but feel a tad sorry, especially given Bowser’s slight change in heart.

Yet before he could get too lost in pity, Luigi was pulled back out of his thoughts as Bowser cleared his throat.

“Thank you.  I’m sure Junior is thankful too.  Right, son?”

“I guess,” Junior responded without much thought, addressing his father instead of Luigi.

“Wrong answer, and don’t tell me.  You know who to look at. Do it right.”

The room went quiet for a moment as the young koopa fidgeted in his spot, Bowser quirking an eyebrow from the sidelines.  Junior obviously didn’t want to say anything; for a moment, he silently munched on the second scone to pass the time, though once it was finished, he sighed in defeat.  All three of them knew he had no excuse to procrastinate on his responsibility.

“... Thanks, gree- um, Luigi.”

“You’re very welcome.”  

Luigi offered another gentle smile, not expecting to get anything remotely kind in response, but to his surprise, Junior smiled back.  It was weak, short-lived, and stiff from reluctance, but it was still a smile nonetheless. From the looks of it, he was starting to get through to him, even if it needed a little push from Bowser and a hint of the princess’s help.

“Can I have another one?”

“As long as your father’s okay with it, go ahead.”

Junior instantly turned to his father, silently begging his father.  At first, Bowser seemed reluctant to agree, but ultimately caved with an exasperated roll of his eyes.  It was hard to say no to such a desperate face, even when it was Bowser making the decision.

“ _One_ more, Junior.  Listen, why don’t you take one and play outside for a while?  You’re probably itching to stretch your legs.”

“Awwh, thanks, Papa!  You’re the best!”

The two koopas shared a cheerful laugh as the smaller of the two stood up, stamping his feet in delight.  Before either Bowser or Luigi had the chance to say a proper goodbye, however, Junior had disappeared from sight, running out the door with a scone in hand and leaving a trail of crumbs.  If one thing was for sure, the kid was unpredictable, for better or for worse. On one hand, Luigi’s conversations with him were guaranteed headaches, but it led to sickeningly sweet moments of joy, too.

Plus, he found the way Junior interacted with his father to be absolutely adorable.  It brought out the best in both of them. In its own, bizarre way, seeing Bowser grin so bright around anything left warmth in his heart; he’d never say anything, but he wished he could see it more often.  Joy from anyone was to be treasured.

“Thank you for being patient with Junior,” Bowser said, earning Luigi’s attention as he picked up another scone.  It seemed that his good mood made him a bit more willing to express gratitude. “He can be a handful, I know.”

“You did a lot of the work, really.  You made sure to keep him in line when he started getting… um… feisty.”

Bowser cracked a playful smirk at the comment on his son’s less-than-ideal attitude, picking up on Luigi’s doubt of word choice and giving him a sturdy smack on the arm.  While it seemed like his intent was to calm any worries, it did the opposite, startling the plumber and causing him to wince a bit in pain. A heavier hand wasn’t the best option when Bowser’s entire palm could cover his shoulder: a lesson they both quickly picked up on.

“Er… I’ll work on that.”

“ _Non ti preoccupare_.  I’m tougher than I look.”

“Still.”

Time stood still for a moment as the two locked eyes, Luigi’s thankful smile meeting one of Bowser’s rare hints of kindness.  In the relatively short time they began talking, Luigi’s opinion of the koopa had shifted entirely; he was no longer terrified, doubtful, and disinterested in their interactions.  Instead, he felt safe, finding himself relaxed in each other’s presence.

There were very few people Luigi felt the same around: his brother, Peach, Peasley, and on occasion, Daisy.  How Bowser ended up within the same tier of friendship within such an unusually short span of time, especially considering his starting point, left him a bit perplexed.  It really didn’t add up, and the more he thought about it, the more awestruck he found himself with what fate had thrown his way.

Still, deep down, he could tell this was right.  It wasn’t like the many times that Luigi found his trust abused for enemies to gain the upper hand.  This time, it was real.

It left a warm feeling in his heart that rivaled with the heat of a fire flower, resurfacing every time Bowser spoke with sincerity or looked at him without hiding behind a facade.  Perhaps it was how impressed he was with the complete shift in tone… perhaps he was just thankful to lose an enemy and gain a friend. More likely than that, it was probably both.

“You’re staring again, Luigi,” Bowser commented, startling Luigi out of his thoughts.  He seemed to be aware that the plumber had been zoning out, at least. “You seem… distracted.”

“O-oh, it’s nothing.”  Luigi’s cheeks had already turned bright pink in shame.  He didn’t even realize he had been staring in his direction.  “I’m fine, I promise.”

“Don’t be a hypocrite.”

“I’m not!  I mean, um, okay, it _is_ something, but it’s not important or troubling.  I just got lost in my thoughts, is all.”

Bowser lifted a brow, wordlessly expressing his curiosity.  He didn’t seem to be very heart set on knowing, not pushing much further to learn the contents of his thoughts, but Luigi caved anyways, folding his hands together in his lap as he cleared his throat.  

“Really, i-it’s not anything.  I was just thinking about how glad I am to be here.  I remember in your letter, you talked about how my visits became a highlight of your week and… um, they’ve really become a highlight of mine too.”

The two shared a light, relieved laugh, although an awkward feeling hung in the air due to the embarrassment it brought both of them.  For their own reasons, they were both bad at handling their feelings. Luigi may have been able to lay them out easier, but the anxiety that followed always held him back from being completely honest from the very beginning.

“Um…” Luigi started, trying to salvage the conversation from completely falling apart.  “Would you like to try hanging out on a more regular schedule? I could c-come over here once weekly, i-if you’re interested.  We can always hang out more if we both have the time to, but… it’d make things more predictable.”

He couldn’t quite tell, but Bowser seemed to brighten up at the offer, straightening his posture ever-so-faintly.  It was a subtle shift, only hardly visible for Luigi to catch.

“Are Wednesdays suitable for you?”

“... No, um- I’m busy with my brother, but Tuesdays are fine!”

“Tuesdays then, same time as usual at the tea gardens, unless said otherwise.”

As soon as the confirmation was made, Tuesdays became one of Luigi’s favorite days of the week.  He had a reason to look forward to the passing of time. It meant that, for however many hours he spent in Bowser’s kingdom, he was guaranteed a moment of relaxation with his friend, dedicated to chatting the day away, a significant improvement from lying in his bed waiting for the minutes to tick by.

Despite already spending time with Bowser, next Tuesday couldn’t come fast enough. 

* * *

As days passed by and the year slowly shifted through seasons, Luigi and Bowser’s once-weekly meetings became routine, meeting on the small, greenery-filled platform in the latter’s kingdom. Each Tuesday, they used up nearly the entire day chatting away, gradually pushing back the time that Luigi left until later, then later, then even later. At first he left in the early evening, in the area of 5 o’clock; the next time, they dragged out their time until six; once that felt too early, seven, then eight, then nine, and eventually ten, when the sunshine was long gone and the already dim light of Bowser’s kingdom became even dimmer.

They, quite literally, chatted the entire day away, almost never moving from their spot in the garden.  The two would completely forget about the passage of time, only realizing it when the last of their many cups of tea turned cold.  Yet, even when it was late in the night and the temptation of returning home tugged at Luigi’s legs, both their voices hoarse from rambling for so long, they still found it difficult to say goodbye.  The more their friendship bloomed, the more time they seemed to want together.

Even Junior learned to like the green plumber’s presence more, finding Luigi’s mood far calmer and soothing in comparison to the rambunctious Koopalings, as well as enjoying the improved attitude of his father.

Eventually, when Tuesdays had been completely exhausted, not allowing for any more time in the day to be rationed out despite the desire to spend more time together, Bowser and Luigi agreed to add Monday visits into their schedule.  It followed the same pattern, gradually being stretched out further until Luigi was gone from dawn to dusk, only spending a small portion of time at home in the mornings and late nights to speak with his brother.

Between the koopa and plumber, any sense of awkwardness disappeared as more time was dedicated to each other.  Uncomfortable silences faded, being filled in by conversation or shared smiles; minor fights over a clashing opinions were replaced with understanding, albeit heated discussions; even the physical distance between them shrunk as they became more amicable, responding to comments with playful punches, ending their days with handshakes, and in the rare case of comforting one another, giving rushed hugs.  The last form of contact remained tense between the two of them, Bowser still not being able to adjust to it, but the overall trend between was them was a tedious, gradual increase of awareness when it came to each other’s interactions.

Yet as months passed and the two became better friends, Luigi finding himself the closest with Bowser of _all_ of his friends except for his brother, a strange rift started to form between them again. Without warning, they found themselves unable to hold conversations as they did before, awkward silences returning and becoming common ground for the time spent together.

There was no new, bad blood between them, nor did they find each other unpleasant to be around.  If anything, it was the exact opposite; they still found excuses to spend time together and push off Luigi’s return home… it’s just that conversations felt shallow again.  There was less open honesty between the two, and as time continued, it only seemed to get worse, with Bowser struggling to reply to their discussions and Luigi finding himself anxiously fiddling with his white gloves when the room went quiet for too long.

The problem persisted for weeks, eventually leading Luigi to confide in his brother.  It was getting out of control. Even if Mario was still in the dark about who his friend really was, he always knew how to fix a situation like this.

The evening after another unfortunately awkward meeting with Bowser, Luigi stepped into the kitchen of their home, sitting down at the table and inviting his brother to do the same.

“Mario, can I talk to you about something?  About my friend?”

“Oh, _l'amico misterioso_?  Is something wrong?”

“I… I don’t know.”

Mario reached across the table, grabbing his brother’s hands and giving them a firm squeeze as a form of comfort and encouragement to continue explaining.  The worry was obvious on his face, his brow creased and a frown pulling at his cheeks, though as Luigi took notice of it, Mario seemed to hide it under a warm smile.

“Go ahead, bro.  I’m listening.”

“You already know how I go to see him every week, without fail.  We really did act like best friends to each other; I felt like I could talk to him about anything, and like he would tell _me_ anything.”

“You two couldn’t seem to get enough of each other for a while,” Mario chuckled, earning an embarrassed blush from his brother.

“Y-yeah.  But, lately, it feels like the awkwardness between us came back.”

“What happened?  Did you two get into a bad argument or-”

Luigi cut him off with a quick shake of his head, worried that his brother was getting the wrong impression of the situation.  He needed to shut down that train of thought before it snowballed and stressed Mario out over his brother’s happiness.

“That’s the thing: nothing happened!  It came out of the blue. One week, everything was normal and we were getting along great, the next, he hardly looks at me and our conversations constantly fall short… it’s only getting more extreme, too.  I thought it might have just been a bad day or something, but… it’s been going on for way too long now. I don’t know what the problem is!”

“Have you asked him?”

“I’ve asked him if he’s okay; he just insists everything is fine.  I can’t get through to him. I mean, usually it takes a bit of persistence for him to spill, but I can’t even get him to budge!”

“Hmm… have you asked him about the way he’s acting _exactly_?”

“W-well, not exactly, but it feels rude to keep pressuring him about it and I don’t want to upset hi-”

“ _Luigi_ , the way he’s acting is upsetting _you_.  If pushing for an answer means fixing his weird attitude and making you feel better, then insist.  Sometimes you have to take things apart and undo some of the old work to fix them completely.”

As much as Luigi hated to admit it, Mario was right.

“B-but how do I even bring it up?”

“You’re already seeing him tomorrow.  Just, next time things get awkward again, explain to him how you’ve noticed a difference in his attitude.  Start with that, and go from there.”

“I know, but if he-”

“Luigi, I know you can do this.  It’ll work out, I promise.”

Luigi sniffled suddenly as his brother squeezed his hands again; his eyes were starting to water, blurring his vision, but he didn’t bother to wipe the tears away, letting them roll down his cheeks instead.  Even though he knew deep down to trust his brother, he struggled to believe it. Too many thoughts were running through his head, plaguing him with fear.

“What if I accidentally did something to hurt him?  Or maybe he’s starting to dislike me again and-”

“ _Fermati, fratello._  You’re getting yourself worked up and you don’t need to.”

“I-I’m sorry…”

Mario let go of one of his hands and reached for a napkin, wiping tears from his cheeks for him before they could drip onto the table.  His brother really was always looking out for him.

“You don’t need to apologize; this isn’t your fault.  Just, talk to him tomorrow. Please.”

“ _Lo farò_ , Mario.  I will. Thank you.”

Flashing a weak smile as he thanked his brother, Luigi stood up from the table to head to bed.  If he was going to follow up on his promise and confront Bowser about the strange situation between them, he wanted to be well rested.  There was no way it was going to be easy, regardless of why things were the way they were.

Luigi hoped Mario was right that things would work out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the time-skip. I didn't want to draw out their friendship growing after the initial stages.  
> But, in other news, expect lots of feels next chapter. ;)
> 
> Translations:  
> Non ti preoccupare - "Don't worry"  
> l'amico misterioso - "[the] mystery friend"  
> Fermati - "Stop"  
> Lo farò - "I will"


	10. Chapter 10

When Luigi arrived at the tea gardens the next morning, Bowser was nowhere to be seen.  The gardens were entirely empty outside of him, the cloud he used as transport, and the teahouse, whose doors were shut… and a small, white piece of paper that laid in the grass by the usual spot he and Bowser spent their time together.  

The paper was the only thing out of the ordinary, immediately drawing Luigi’s attention and leading him to approach it.  He instantly picked it up, rotating it in his hands to find writing on the back in Bowser’s usual scrawl.

_ Luigi, _

_ I’m unable to see you today.  I apologize for the lack of advanced notice, but I’m feeling under the weather today and wouldn’t have had time for a letter to be delivered to your home. _

_ And I think we should skip your visits next week, too.  Or until further notice. I’ll let you know when to come back. _

_ Have a safe ride home. _

_ \- K.K. _

At the end of the note, what seemed to be several sentences were crossed out, indicating a number of thoughts that Bowser had backpedaled on.  That was something he never saw in any of the letters prior to today. Normally, Luigi would have shrugged it off, yet, after the strange attitude that Bowser sported and the sudden cancellation of their once standard visits, it didn’t sit right with him.

Something was definitely off.

Luigi folded up the letter and stuck it in his pocket, beelining for the lakitu’s cloud he had borrowed so many times and hopping in.  Instead of turning and going home, he lifted off the ground and floated towards the castle walls, disregarding the fact that he was going against Bowser’s wishes.  It felt like if he didn’t address the problem now, it’d only become more prominent. He had to address it now, while he still could.

Although a sinking feeling began to form in his core, telling him to turn back, telling him that bothering Bowser would only lead to a fight, telling him that he would do more harm than good, he pressed forward.  He let the cloud carry him closer to the castle, passing through the familiar haze of multicolored fog that filled the area.

The cloud eventually dropped him to the ground beside the castle entrance, earning a few strange looks from the local koopa troopas that wandered the gates.

“W-where’s Bowser?”  Luigi asked as one of them approached him, peering up at him with a curious gaze.  “I… I need to talk to him. It’s urgent.”

The koopa troopa pointed inside and mimed going around the corner, walking up a set of stairs, and looping behind them, and taking several turns that Luigi struggled to remember.  From the sound of it, Bowser was located in an entirely different section of the castle, somewhere Luigi had never been before.

He silently hoped Bowser wouldn’t be insulted by his unaccompanied wandering through his home.

With a quick  _ thank you _ and rush towards the entrance, Luigi slipped through the castle doors, following the vague instructions he was given to the best of his ability.  For the most part, it was easy to follow, finding himself on the second floor without trouble, though he eventually wound up lost in the new, empty halls, wandering aimlessly for any hint of where to go.

As he ventured further into the area, he took note of the less extravagant architecture.  Unlike the rest of the palace and outdoors, the second floor was toned down and more gentle on the eyes.  It was far from modest or cheap, still filled with finely detailed wall decor, expensive statues, and metal finishing where desired, but on a much smaller scale, seemingly more dedicated to looking like an expensive home than a proper castle.

Luigi couldn’t help but feel like it was a parallel to Bowser.  On the outside, there was an overwhelming, arrogant, conceited persona; on the inside, there was someone who was still spoiled, selfish, and far from humble… but not quite as bad as everyone thought, especially with a push in the right direction.

His time spent looking for his friend was cut short as a door beside him was slid open, followed by Junior stepping out with an assortment of colored paper that scattered across the floor as they were dropped in surprise.

“What are  _ you _ doing in  _ here _ ?”

“I-I, um, was looking for your father.”  As he spoke, Luigi began to pick up some of the spilled papers, stacking them and offering them back to Junior, who snatched them back as soon as they were in reach.

“You mean you weren’t hanging out with Papa?  But he told me-”

Luigi quirked a brow as Junior drifted off mid-sentence, looking increasingly frustrated and stomping his foot on the ground.  It seemed that both of them were left in the dark about Bowser’s plans.

“... Is it fair to assume he’s not actually sick?”  Luigi asked, recalling the claim in the letter. He already doubted the legitimacy of it; Junior’s attitude only reinforced it.

“Yeah,  _ probably _ .”  Junior grimaced as he looked up, appearing hurt by the recent reveal of his father’s lie.  “He was acting a little weird, but I thought it was because you were visiting. He always gets weird around this part of the week.”

That meant Junior noticed too.  Luigi was shocked, albeit comforted to learn he wasn’t alone, but played innocent.  Maybe Junior knew something he didn’t; something that would justify the behavior.

“W-weird?”

“Yeah, weird.  Papa gets really quiet and won’t even play with me!  He just tells me he’ll join later because he’s too busy.  It doesn’t make sense; all he does is pace around in his room grumbling to himself!  Something about not knowing what to do, I don’t know.”

Even though the comment was selfish, merely focusing on how the playtime in Junior’s life was cut short by a few hours, it at least provided a little information.  It didn’t sound like Bowser was  _ mad _ , at least.

“That’s… peculiar.  I-I’m sorry.”

“It sucks!”

Junior didn’t have anything else to offer, simply crossing his arms and crinkling papers in the process.  While there may have been more to the story, Luigi didn’t feel like pressing answers from him. The kid still struggled to talk to him and made for difficult conversation.

“Um… you wouldn’t know where he is, would you?”

“You can try his room, I guess.  Go that way. It’s that big one on the end.”  Junior waved a limp hand in the general direction Luigi was supposed to go.  Neither of them knew if Bowser was actually in there, but it was worth a shot.  Worst case, Luigi would have to go back to searching again.

“T-thanks.”

As Luigi stepped around Junior and walked towards the end of the hall, he heard the sound of papers shuffling and small feet scampering off in the opposite direction, leaving him alone once again in the castle halls.  The air felt still, and, as he stepped closer to Bowser’s quarters, it felt almost heavy. His hands were clammy and his heart was racing; he really  _ wasn’t _ looking forward to this.

Still, he tried to keep his brother’s positive mindset at the forefront of his thoughts.  Things will be okay. In the end, it’ll work out.

Luigi, shivering slightly, raised a fist and rapped his knuckles against the door.  Part of him hoped Bowser  _ wasn’t _ in the room; he wasn’t ready to talk about it.  He still knew he had to, however, taking a deep breath to calm himself.

He was interrupted by a loud voice from the other side, irritated and making it obvious he didn’t want to be bothered.

“What is it  _ now _ ?  I don’t have time for anyone’s problems!  Kamek, if you’re here to ask about the princess again, I  _ swear  _ I’ll-”  The door slid open as it was violently thrown to the side, hitting the end of its track with a loud clatter.  Bowser looked as high-strung as ever, body stiff, eyes leering, and obvious steam pouring from his nose. He looked seconds from spitting fire at anything that crossed his path.

Yet the moment he caught sight of the green, now shivering mess that cowered in front of him, a significant portion of his rage subsided, eyes going wide with horror.  He still remained furious, but it was a complete step down from how he looked seconds prior.

“Luigi?!  What are you- Why are you-” Bowser stumbled, his grip on the door frame becoming strong enough to put a dent in it.  He paused, furrowing his brow. “I thought I told you not to come here.”

This was a terrible start.

“Um... y-you did.”

“So you  _ ignored _ me?”

“I needed to talk to you.  It was too important to put off,” Luigi explained, looking up with a pleading, still worried expression in his eyes.  Bowser squinted at him in response, only losing his edge when Luigi continued, pulling the letter out of his pocket and unfolding it to point out his claim of being ‘under the weather’.  “And, for the record, you look completely healthy. What happened to being sick?”

“I...  got better?”

With a disappointed sigh, Luigi pinched the bridge of his nose.  He  _ was _ lied to.  Regardless of the reason why, it was hard not to feel insulted.  Hadn’t he made it clear that he wanted the truth, even if it was disappointing?  Anything, even saying he just wasn’t in the mood to spend time together, would have been better.

“I really wish you would stop doing this.  Just be honest with me, Bowser.”

Bowser avoided looking at him, choosing to stare at the texture of the wall instead.  He didn’t say a word, not even as Luigi looked at him expectantly, wanting at least some form of recognition.  Only when Luigi cleared his throat did Bowser finally speak up, though his answer was far from what was desired.

“I  _ am _ being honest.”

“Oh, come on.  We both know that isn’t true!”  Luigi argued, surprising both Bowser and himself with the sharp tone he carried.  “Look, I know you don’t want to talk about… whatever is bothering you, but I need you to at least stop acting like everything is fine.  I  _ know _ something’s wrong.  You’ve been acting so strangely that even your son pointed it out!”

“You spoke to him?”

“I ran into him while looking for you, but that’s not what matters.  What matters is that you’re lying to me to get away from your problems!”

“You don’t need to know every part of my business,”  Bowser insisted.

“You’re right, I don’t, but this time I’m pretty sure it’s  _ my _ business too.  Why else would Junior tell me you only get like this around when I visit?”

“That doesn’t mean I have to tell you.”

“Well, no, but- I’m worried!”

“Why do you even want to know?”  Another deflection. Bowser was as hard to talk to as the shell on his back.

“Because I  _ care _ about you, Bowser.  Look… can I come in?”

Bowser didn’t budge from his spot in front of the door, though his tough demeanor started to fade, replaced with unreadable expressions and an avoidant gaze.  For a moment, they both stood in silence, the distant clatter from inhabitants in other rooms and the floor below providing the only noise in the halls. Only when Luigi looked up at him and mutter a faint  _ please _ did he cave, letting go of the warped doorframe and allowing him to enter.

Luigi stepped inside, gently shutting the door behind him before taking a seat on the floor by a rolled up mat and inviting Bowser to do the same.  They shared a small look, both feeling slight remorse for their actions, but ultimately refusing to address it.

“Bowser, I’m sorry for forcing my way in, but it’s obvious that we needed to talk.”

“... Obvious?”

“Haven’t you noticed how quiet you’ve gotten?  Our conversations have become so… empty lately.”  Luigi sighed, twiddling his thumbs together. The more he thought about it, the more it seemed like their friendship had regressed in terms of comfort.  “It’s like every time you spoke, you were holding something back.”

“I was listening. I swear.”

“I know, but I felt like you were hiding something.  Like something happened to you that I don’t know about.”

Bowser went quiet again, glancing between Luigi and the floor as he struggled to sit still.  There was a blatant amount of reluctance in his body language: shoulders were stiff, claws dug into the floor, even his breathing was stifled.

“Did I do anything to hurt you?” Luigi asked, trying to get some form of an answer before too much time had passed.  “If I upset you, I’m sorry. I just need to know what I did wro-”

“You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Luigi quirked a brow, watching Bowser’s claws dig further into the floor as he spoke.  He couldn’t figure out what was going on inside his head, even slightly. Really, the more Bowser spoke, the more Luigi found himself confused by the situation.  Bowser was clearly upset by something having to do with him, but nothing was adding up.

Looking back up at Bowser, who avoided the glance, Luigi tried to find some other justification for the odd behavior.  Maybe someone he knew had done something, and Bowser only acted strangely out of an association he had to the person.

“Is it the princess?”

“No.”

“D-did Mario-”

“ _ No. _ No one did  _ anything  _ wrong!   _ Nothing  _ happened!  No one did anything, so would you stop asking?”

Jumping at the sudden outburst, Luigi dropped the line of questions and dipped his head, staring into his hands.  Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Bowser struggling on his own terms. He looked distant and faintly regretful, biting at his own tongue as he lifted a hand.  For a moment, he reached towards Luigi, presumably to place it on his shoulder as a weak form of apology, but hesitated to actually make contact with him, eventually setting it back down where it once was on the floor.  

Luigi continued to fiddle with his fingers, not wanting to speak.  It felt like there was a knot in his throat, almost painful in the same way it felt when tears were pooling at the corner of his eyes.  There were no tears this time, but he still felt awful. Nothing made sense.

“I... shouldn’t have yelled like that,” Bowser apologized, still hesitating to look at him.  “I’m sorry.”

“C-can you just tell me what’s going on?”  Luigi avoided acknowledging the apology. He knew that focusing on it would get him too worked up to ask questions or keep a level head.  “We’re not going to get anywhere if you keep avoiding it.”

Another bout of silence passed between them, leaving the two in another miserable, awkward state.  Luigi wanted answers he couldn’t get and Bowser, from the looks of it, just wanted whatever he was dealing with to be over.  Neither of them had the strength to speak up. Neither of them had the strength to even  _ look _ up and face each other.

Eventually, breaking the still air, Bowser sighed.  It was oddly quiet, almost feeble as if he was about to talk and finally explain something.  He opened his mouth to speak, turning to look at Luigi even as his gaze faltered several times, taking a deep breath and…

He closed it again, returning to silence with a pinkish tint to his cheeks that left Luigi perplexed and disappointed at the same time.

It was so close, yet so far.

“Bowser, please,” Luigi insisted, flashing a gentle smile to try and encourage Bowser into speaking.  It seemed like a gentle, open attitude was the best option at this point. Confrontation only shut the koopa down.  “You can tell me; I won’t get mad. Friends are there for each other, remember?”

When Bowser shifted uncomfortably again, his nose twitching slightly and his muzzle still sporting the remainder of his earlier blush, Luigi found himself struggling to find any words that could convey the proper trust.  It seemed like nothing he did was enough of a push to get him to crack.

Instead of wasting time over meaningless blathering, Luigi reached out, grabbing one of the clawed hands that dug into the floor with a firm, but light squeeze.  It was the same thing his brother did for him when  _ he _ was troubled with something and it always helped him, so he thought it might do the same for Bowser.  At least it couldn’t do any harm.

The reaction Luigi got only puzzled him further.

Bowser immediately jolted at the touch, gaping at Luigi and meeting his eyes for a split second before looking down at their hands.  He became frozen like a statue, not even wavering as he breathed, despite it sounding fairly uneven. The only sign of life in him was the gradual shift of color in his cheeks; what was once a muted pink undertone became a vivid red, almost bright enough to compete with his fiery hair.

Neither of them motioned to pull away, both stuck in their increasingly bizarre predicament both literally and figuratively.  Luigi’s mind was moving a mile a minute, jumping from one conclusion to another in order to justify any part of what was going on.  As panicked as he was, he couldn’t piece it together. He meekly stared at the floor in defeat.

The truth was something that flew entirely over his head, despite how glaringly obvious it was.

Only when he felt the warmth of Bowser’s fingers slowly wrapping around his own hand, timidly returning the grasp, did everything finally click together.  Luigi’s eyes went wide, his entire face burning up in a bright pink of its own that travelled as far as the tips of his ears.

… Oh.

… **_Oh._**

All this time and the poor koopa had feelings for him.

Luigi’s mind was racing far faster than it ever did before, blank from shock and void of any real emotion other than a sheepish form of surprise.  He couldn’t handle the reality that was coming down on him: Bowser, who was once a sworn enemy, then a bizarre and temperamental friend, had been struggling to come to terms with a crush the entire time.  It was unbelievable in the most literal sense.

He couldn’t handle this.

Pulling his hand out of the grip in a panic, Luigi stood up with a stumble backward, watching as Bowser’s expression switched from one of mild hope to utter despair.  He knew he felt guilty, that he wanted to explain that it was nothing personal, that he just needed time to process everything before deciding, but he couldn’t get it out under the stress.  Instead, he stumbled over his words, stepping towards the door until he was able to grab the side and pull it open.

“I-I-I-… th-this is… um- l-listen… p-please don’t, um- I-”  He backed out of the room, still watching Bowser’s brokenhearted appearance.  It wasn’t making things any easier. He had no choice but to force something out, spilling it so quickly it was almost impossible to understand.  “I-I need to go.”

Luigi disappeared in a dash for the castle’s exit before Bowser could respond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never said the feels were good ones. ;) But thank you for all of the support you've given me. It's really kept up my motivation to work on this.
> 
> [[Also, if y'all ever want to ask questions about this fic/SMB/etc or see my wacky posts, feel free to stop by my tumblr, "sciienc". I won't share spoilers for what I have planned, but I'm happy to otherwise chat about the franchise.]]


	11. Chapter 11

Luigi sat at his desk, his head in his hands and his sleeves damp from wiping at stray tears that never seemed to cease completely.  He couldn’t stop himself from getting worked up every few moments because of the previous visit with Bowser replaying over and over and _over_ again like a broken record.  As much as he wanted to, nothing he did calmed his anxious streak.  Nothing fixed the problem at hand.

Nothing he did made him understand, either.

 _“Non posso credere che stia succedendo_ ,” he muttered to himself, hardly audible to his own ears.  He was completely, utterly lost. The last time someone showed even the slightest bit of interest in him, it wasn’t nearly as difficult to say no:  unlike Bowser, the person _wasn’t_ a giant, fire-breathing tortoise relative, nor was the situation as strange or overwhelming.  Last time, it was something far less personal. This time, every decision felt like the wrong one to make.

He couldn’t control his thoughts from repeating the scene again, his mind running through the same thought process he had faced before.  When Bowser had gripped his hand, he wanted nothing more than to run away, but he didn’t know _why_.  He was shocked - scared, even - but he pulled his hand back out of reflex; so little thought went into the reaction that he barely had time to realize what he was doing.  He didn’t even have time to realize what he was thinking.

The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became with himself.

When he let out an overwhelmed, drawn-out _oh no_ , he slouched further over his desk, letting his head fall into the crook of his arms and shield his face from the light.  It was the closest he could get to hiding from reality, in a way. The darkness, despite his hatred of it in normal settings, was comforting for once.

He stayed like that for several minutes, trying his best to clear his thoughts, only to be interrupted by the familiar voice of his brother at the door, followed by footsteps coming closer.  Luigi couldn’t see him, but he could hear the soft taps of his shoes, as well as the feeling of a hand rubbing his back once Mario had stepped close enough.

“... Luigi?”

Luigi didn’t respond with more than a weak hum, his voice cracking halfway through it.  He was never good at keeping a stable tone when he was overwhelmed by things, and the additional stress of having to talk to his brother in his current state wasn’t helping.

“Luigi, what happened?”  Mario’s voice was almost frantic, just barely being maintained.  It was obvious how difficult it was for him to see Luigi in such a miserable state.  “Please, talk to me. What happened? Are you hurt?”

Mario’s desperate questions made it all the more painful for Luigi to avoid talking to him.  He knew he had to talk.

Trying to work up the courage to explain things without breaking into tears again, he sat up, lip quivering.  He knew deep down that it was for the best; Mario always had some way of making things better anyway. Mario’s optimistic tendencies were the complete foil to his own negative spirals of thought, something he would always be grateful for.

“I’m okay, Mario,” Luigi muttered, realizing the lack of accuracy in his words.  Physically, he was okay; mentally, ‘okay’ was far from the truth. “... Safe, I mean.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“... Not really, but I… probably should.”

The two brothers sat in silence as Luigi twiddled his fingers in thought, Mario patiently waiting for him while moving to sit on the edge of the desk.  Aside from a few papers being pushed aside, nothing else moved in the room.

Luigi _had_ to talk.

“M-Mario, I don’t know what to do.  I- I tried to ask him… about why he- how he was being so strange,” Luigi began, earning another troubled look from Mario.  The pause between his words and unfinished sentences didn’t help. “And he wouldn’t- but he- I- I ran away before- oh, Mario, w-what am I going to _do_?”

“Bro-”

“I-is he mad at me now? He wasn’t before- I just- I left after- because he- I- I tried to comfort him and-”

“ _Bro_ -”

“I-I reached for his hand and- and then he- oh _no_ , I- did I do the wrong thing? What if I- or if he- maybe he- I can’t just go back!  I’ve ruined everything! He’s probably so mad- or hurt- or-”

“Luigi!”

Luigi ceased his fretting immediately, looking at Mario with a guilt-ridden expression for getting so lost in his own stresses.  Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to pause and collect his thoughts. Mario did the same; he was likely just as lost as Luigi, if not more so for lacking the necessary context.  He followed by dropping a hand on Luigi’s shoulder, looking him square in the eye. Even if it was stern, Mario always knew how to get Luigi back on his feet.

“Take it slow; you’ll overwhelm yourself if you don’t, bro.  Now, you saw _l'amico misterioso_ … and talked to him about your problems… I got that much.  What did he say?”

“W-well, he didn’t say anything, but, um… he…”

Luigi drifted again, prompting Mario to tap his shoulder with a look that pressed for him to continue.

“He looked like he was having a hard time saying anything so I tried to comfort him and…”  When he paused again, his face flushed a bright pink that was similar to the blush he sported earlier when he was in Bowser’s kingdom.  Thinking about how Bowser had grabbed his hand and everything made sense in that instant was, honestly, overwhelming. He still wasn’t sure what to make of it, but he knew it left a warm burn on his cheeks, for better or worse.  “Well… I took his hand because I thought it might help, but then he got _weirder_ about things and it made me realize, that, um…”

“He likes you.”

“Y-yeah.”

“Well, that’s not that bad… but… there’s more to it, isn’t there?”

Luigi twiddled his thumbs in response as Mario ran a hand through his own hair, mentally preparing for the worst.  Luigi’s tense posture only made him worry further, hints of it slipping through his chipper, optimistic attitude.

“I panicked and... left when I realized how he felt.  I didn’t even give him a chance to respond.”

“Oh, Luigi…”  Mario shook his head and let out a sigh.  He wasn’t exactly disappointed, but it carried the same weight, leaving Luigi to awkwardly fidget in his seat.  “... I understand why you ran; that kind of thing can be terrifying when it hits you out of nowhere. But…”

“I know, I shouldn’t have left like that.  I just… I didn’t know what to say.”

“Just tell him how you feel, bro.  Tell him you’re flattered, but-”

“W-what if I don’t know how I feel?”

The response was quick, cutting off Mario before he had a chance to mention rejection and catching them both off guard.  At least it helped put Luigi’s scrambled thoughts into words. Out loud, it made a lot more sense, justifying his erratic decisions and complete uncertainty of what he wanted to say aside from apologies.  He really _wasn’t_ sure how he felt.  He didn’t necessarily feel the same way but… it was more out of never even considering the option than genuine disinterest… and really, he was terrible with feelings in general.  He never knew how he felt about anyone until it was too late to say anything.

“Aha! So you _do_ like him?  Then just-”

“No, I just… don’t know.”

Mario let out a small _hm_ as he rested his chin in his hand.

“Well, let’s start with this,” he suggested, flashing a grin and exaggerated wink at the sudden idea.  It seemed like he was going to force Luigi to get to the bottom of this. “Do you think he’s cute _now_?  You know, now that you’ve gotten to know him?”

“Um…” Luigi turned pink again, doing his best to take the question seriously despite its awkwardness.  It was difficult to ever really describe a koopa as ‘cute’. The sharp teeth, the threatening stature, the potentially crushing grip; it was far from flattering.  Though, putting more thought into it, he couldn’t help but find it charming whenever Bowser had beamed over something he genuinely cared about. The prideful grin and cheerful change in his demeanor was something rare, and to a small degree, treasured.

His confidence in being himself, when not too overbearing, was endearing, too.  Luigi couldn’t help but smile when picturing his boisterous laughter in response to one of their many conversations, stories, and jokes.  Sure, he was far from ordinary, and his grins could be daunting at times, but there was something about his sincerity that Luigi admired. The way they could sit in silence and just be content being near each other was something he didn’t experience with many other people in his life.  They didn’t always need words; sometimes, a warm smile shared between the two of them was all they needed to feel content.

Though, recalling the many times they’ve managed to lock eyes, Luigi was reminded of the way it made him feel almost… giddy.  There was always that lingering sense of fluttery comfort in his chest, something that was equally enjoyable and intimidating.  He passed it off as nerves, never wanting to address the feeling originally, but returning to it made it feel like something else entirely.

There was something about the way he spoke, the way he laughed, the way his arm always seemed to linger around his shoulder after one of their clumsy embraces.  While he never dwelled on it, he couldn’t deny that it brought some form of warmth to his cheeks for a split second before it was shoved away to further the conversation.  In the back of his mind, he probably wished it would have lasted longer. The only reason he never considered it before was because, without a doubt, he would find some way to push it aside in favor of something else.

Oh, what a hypocrite he was.

While it wasn’t exactly a negative thought he was hiding, he had been denying himself from even internally expressing the feelings he harbored.  After time and time again of emphasizing being honest and sharing things aloud, he did the exact opposite. He couldn’t help but want to kick himself for ignoring his own advice and ultimately causing such an emotional nightmare.  If he had just listened to himself, just this once, he would have known immediately.

Cute was the wrong term to describe Bowser, but Luigi could at least agree on one thing.

He _did_ like him.

Luigi dropped his head into his hands as a blush tinted his entire face, burning a vivid red that anyone could see through the cracks of his fingers.  Whether his embarrassment was over the realization of his own strange interest in Bowser, the poor way he handled the situation, or how he had taken so long to understand himself, he wasn’t sure.  It was likely a mix of all three, some way or another.

Either way, it was something Mario had noticed immediately.

“Something tells me you’ve got a bit of a crush yourself, bro,” Mario laughed, lightening the air as he pried Luigi’s hands from his face.  Luigi couldn’t bear to look at him, but a smile crept up onto him regardless, somewhat sheepish and somewhat relieved.

As embarrassing as it was, it was nice to know what was going on.

“... Maybe,” Luigi mumbled, still too embarrassed to tell the complete truth.  It didn’t matter, however; his face said it all.

When Luigi looked up at Mario, they instantly fell into a fit of giggles, both of them finding Luigi’s weak ‘maybe’ to be ridiculous.  It was beyond pathetic, sounding bad enough to the point of being completely laughable, even when it had come from one of them. After their laughs died down, however, Mario winked again with another signature smirk.

“You’re too easy to read, bro!  You’ve totally fallen for him!”

“You’re one to talk, considering you’re head-over-heels for the princess.”

“I’m not head-over-heels for her.”

“Fine, but you’re still a lovestruck fool.”

“Take a look in the mirror and say that again.”

“Hey!”

Luigi gave Mario a playful shove as he dissolved into another fit of laughter, followed by Mario letting out a guffaw of his own.  Their teasing always danced on the line of pushing too far, but never enough to legitimately upset either of them. It was just right; the comments were enough to get a reaction out of each other and lift the mood when something falls flat without doing more damage.

Still, as their laughter died down again, Mario lost his cheerful expression, replacing it with a more serious tone as he looked Luigi in the eye.

“You _really_ need to talk to him, bro.  Fix this before it’s too late.”

“But what if-”

“I’m serious.  You need to fix this.”

Slouching in his seat, Luigi bit his lip.  It was obvious that Mario was right, he just didn’t want to go back.  There was so much uncertainty in how Bowser would react at this point; he could be furious for accidentally toying with his feelings, he could lash out, he could even refuse to see him altogether for running.  Luigi wouldn’t blame him, but he didn’t want to see if it was the truth. Waiting for someone else to come to him was more of his forte.

He knew he had to go, but fear kept him in his seat.

Only when Mario tipped his chair did he get out of it, forced upright in order to maintain his balance instead of colliding with the floor.  He stumbled forward, casting a light glare at his brother, but ultimately accepted that it was probably the best course of action. He wouldn’t have moved, otherwise.

Still, he couldn’t handle going back to Bowser’s kingdom yet.  He needed more time to prepare himself; his nerves were far too high and if he left now, it was likely that he would run the moment the door opened.  It would do more harm than good.

“I’ll go tomorrow,” Luigi insisted, fixing a newly formed crease in his shirt in order to avoid looking at his brother.  “I promise I will. I just… need a little.”

“If you think it’s for the best, then okay.”

“I do.”

Luigi gave a warm smile, silently thanking his brother for being… mostly reasonable as he watched him walk towards the door.  He knew Mario had his best interest at heart, even if it challenged him in the ways he hated, and that was something he was eternally thankful for.  Not many people knew how to push him forward without overwhelming him. Yet, as Mario stopped walking and looked over again, opening his mouth to speak, Luigi’s smile dropped instantly.

“Wait,” He started, his mustache shifting and his eyebrows raising as he flashed a lopsided, curious expression.  Hints of impatience could be seen in his eyes, too. “Just who is this person, anyway? I mean, I can’t be left in the dark if this all plays out like I expect it to.”

“O-oh.”  Luigi knew this would come back to bite him sooner or later.  “I-I still don’t know if I can tell you.”

“You _still_ can’t tell me?”  Mario scoffed, disappointed, but not exactly angry with him.  He didn’t seem to be done pushing for an answer. “Bro, come on.  I won’t get mad; there are only like four people it could be that I’d have a problem with, and I _know_ it’s not any of them!”

Mario couldn’t have been more wrong.  Still, Luigi tested the waters anyways.

“L-like who?”

“You know, folks like King Koopa?  King Boo? Arch-nemeses with no redeeming qualities?”  Mario looked almost baffled at the question. “They’re too stubborn and cold-hearted for you to even give them the time of day, though.  So really, they’re out of the question.”

The silence that fell between them was deafening, but Mario didn’t seem to catch on, naive enough to dismiss the context of his awkward attitude.  Instead, he merely let out a sigh, leaning against the doorframe expectantly as if he would refuse to leave without some sort of answer. For someone remarking on the stubbornness of his foes, Mario was just as headstrong.

“Mario, please just give me more time.”

Another sigh.

“I’ve given you more time.  It’s been months and I still have no idea who this guy is!”

“Mario, _please_.  I promise I’ll tell you soon.”

From the looks of it, his begging seemed to work.  Mario’s composure weakened and his scowl fell, leaving him with almost a weakened appearance.  It was pitiful, in a way, tugging at Luigi’s heartstrings and plaguing him with an underlying feeling of guilt, but it was better than being interrogated.

“ _Il tuo misterioso amichetto mi confonde._ ”

“He’s not my-”

“Not yet, he isn’t!”

While he wouldn’t admit it, Luigi hoped he was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI: Classes started up again, so I'll be a little slower to finish chapters. I'm still planning on finishing this though!
> 
> Translations:  
> Non posso credere che stia succedendo - "I can't believe this is happening"  
> Il tuo misterioso amichetto mi confonde - "Your mysterious boyfriend confuses me"


	12. Chapter 12

It was tomorrow.

Luigi found himself practically shivering as he walked out of the house, his feet heavy and his eyes locked on the path below his feet.  His eyebrows were furrowed and his teeth were clenched as well, stressed so hard it was almost beginning to cause him a tension headache.  Then again, the headache could have been from anything; it was likely just his nerves getting to him.

The reassuring smile that Mario gave him when he looked back at the house helped a tiny amount, at least.  Unlike Luigi, he rested inside the house, leaning on the doorframe to make sure Luigi didn’t try and sneak back in and delay what he agreed to do: talk to Bowser.

It was probably for the best that he was there.  If Luigi had any control over the situation, he would turn around immediately, climb into bed, and hold his pillow as he replayed everything in his head.  He couldn’t help but see that as the ideal option at this rate. There was less confrontation, fewer nerves, and less of a chance of having fire blown in his face.

Wandering into the forest and pinpointing the cloud he used so regularly, he hopped in, letting it lift him from the ground despite feeling his confidence dig itself its own grave at the world’s surface.  Every meter he travelled towards Bowser’s Kingdom sunk his bravery a little bit more; by the time he would arrive, it would be completely gone. To Luigi, the worst part of it was that it was _his_ fault.  Everything that led up to him having to return and face everything he ran from was on him, and only him.  While Bowser was the one to hide back his feelings and confuse their friendship, Luigi was the one to run from them.  He ran from Bowser; he ran from his feelings; he ran from himself.

The ride felt longer than usual, plagued by the recurring thoughts that only worried him further, yet it also felt strangely shorter.  It was too long but not long enough at the same time.

The cloud dropped Luigi at the entrance to the castle, interrupting his thoughts and pulling him back to reality.  When he looked around, several koopa troopas, hammer bros, and goombas stared at him, confused by the unusual visit.  It was on a day that he normally never showed his face, and based on the fact that most of them carried some form of worried expression, they seemed to know that something was off.

When Luigi approached one of the hammer bros, much to their concern, he twiddled his fingers together, struggling to overcome the tense aura of the entire kingdom.

“Do you know where Bowser is?  I... need to talk to him,” he asked.

It only earned a firm shake of the head.

“He gave us strict orders to be left alone.  I doubt that you’re allowed to talk to him if we aren’t.”

“P-please!  This is different!”

“Sorry, pal, strict orders mean strict orders.  I ain’t risking anything, I just got a new ranking; try someone else, maybe.”

A sigh slipped from Luigi as he turned around, only to find the remaining henchmen either missing from the area, in the process of stepping away from him, or shaking their heads with a faint amount of pity.  None of them were willing to break orders, apparently. While honorable, making Luigi realize just how loyal the kingdom inhabitants were… now was not the time he hoped to learn this.

Luigi muttered a final _please_ in the general direction of the remaining workers, only earning more headshakes in response.  Whether he liked it or not, he was alone. He had to go in solo and on his own terms, ignore the overbearing thoughts as he searched for Bowser, then talk to the koopa against every will in his body.  It wasn’t going to be easy, but he persisted.

He left the courtyard without another word.

The air in the castle felt heavier as he walked inside, gradually getting more weighted and feeling almost painful in the way it dragged down his body when he traversed the staircase to the second floor.  Everything felt like it was dipped in molasses, even time itself.

Luigi hadn’t even talked yet and he already felt exhausted.  Every bone in his body begged for him to turn around and save it for another day when he was more prepared… yet he persisted.  If he left now, it would be ages until he came back, if he did at all. Deep down, he knew that he’d never feel completely ready to face his problems; waiting for himself to lose the nerves was a hopeless endeavor.

Following the same path to Bowser’s room as he did before, he passed the same hall of rooms he saw the last time.  It was just as quiet as last time, only the distant chattering of people on the main floor providing a wall between him and silence.  It helped. Being in complete silence made his worries feel louder between the taps of his shoes and the noise prevented that. Still, as he came to a stop in front of the same room he was in last time, the white noise did nothing.  Suddenly, he could hear his own heartbeat, his hands clenching together as a last resort to stave off any anxious thoughts before he knocked.

A shaky fist reached for the door, knocking so softly it was barely audible.  Luigi couldn’t bring himself to knock much louder, hoping that Bowser wouldn’t hear and he could just turn around and go home for another day despite knowing he needed to get this over with.  Maybe Bowser wasn’t even in the room; maybe he would ignore the knock; maybe he just didn’t notice it.

The voice that boomed from the other side proved otherwise.

“I gave _clear orders_ not to be bothered under any circumstances.  Either take it up with Kamek or roast.”

A series of stomps followed the voice, each one coming closer to the door than before.  Luigi couldn’t help but take a step back out of worry that the door would be opened to flames instead of Bowser.  Although he could handle it and has in the past, he’d rather not be scorched first thing during his visit.

When the door slid open, hitting the end of the track with a loud clatter and nearly startling Luigi out of his own shoes, he could see the frustration in Bowser’s eyes as steam poured from his nostrils.  Even the heat from it travelled far, hitting Luigi in the face and causing him to flinch. He was as furious as ever, though looking closer, Luigi could tell it was only a facade. As usual, it covered up any signs of other emotions that could be deemed weak or warrant pity.

It still didn’t mean it would be easy.

Bowser met Luigi’s gaze, eyes widening in a strange mix of confusion, targetless rage, and discomfort at the realization that he had come back.  His breathing calmed partially as his shoulders dropped, but otherwise, he remained tired and impatient to be left alone.

“Bowser, I-” Luigi began, reaching out to place a hand on his arm.  Bowser pulled back before he had a chance to make contact, though it didn’t appear to come from a place of disgust.  It seemed more like a protective measure like he was trying to fight off any remaining feelings.

“Don’t.”

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to leave like that, I just- i-it wasn’t intentional.  I panicked and- things were so confusing- I couldn’t think straight and-”

“You could have just _told_ me.”

“I know I- I shouldn’t have run off.  It was stupid of me and I know it hurt you, I just- I didn’t- I didn’t know how to react- I messed up.  I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve to be left hanging like that. T-that’s why I’m here now. I needed to-” As he spoke, Luigi tried to gesture to move inside, only for Bowser to shake his head in response.

“This is why I wanted a break.”

“Wait- why?”

“It doesn’t matter.  You ignored my request and then when you- I- ugh, forget it. It doesn’t matter.”

Luigi stopped for a moment, letting out a sigh.  It seemed that Bowser had returned to his figurative shell, shutting down any topics he didn’t want to address.  Luigi was going to have to start all over again to pull him back out and get answers.

He insisted on coming inside again, flashing a stubborn glare that matched Bowser’s, yet with a remorseful, caring undertone to it.  Still, the koopa didn’t budge. They both stayed where they were, Bowser refusing to let Luigi slip by and Luigi slowly pushing closer to the doorway.  Gradually, it closed the distance between them, eventually leaving them at just shorter than arm’s length from each other.

Luigi could swear he saw Bowser getting more nervous and losing the frustration in his composure… but it was difficult to tell.  If there was one thing Bowser was good at, it was covering up his feelings.

“Bowser, it _does_ matter.”

“It doesn’t.”

“Please, just _talk_ to me.  Avoiding it isn’t going to do any good.  Just look at where we ended up after I ran off.”

Instead of a response, Luigi was met with a bout of silence.  Bowser’s demeanor had changed entirely at the mere suggestion of explaining himself.  His entire composure fell, running a hand through his hair as his gaze fell to the ground and a faint tinge of pink colored his cheeks, all while he glanced in every direction but towards Luigi.  Several times, he opened his mouth to speak, only to close it again and avoid addressing the problem.

When Luigi finally forced Bowser to look him in the eyes by stepping into his view, he spoke through a barely audible grumble, rife with shame.

“I need to get over it… Over _you_.  I can’t do that if you’re here.”  Bowser paused again, dropping his head.  “I could see how scared you were yesterday when I-... I get it.  A koopa and a human don’t make sense anyway. I shouldn’t have let myself get so carried away.”

“Wait-”

“Luigi, I don’t want to lose you as a friend.  I can’t let… _me_ get in the way of that.  I need you to leave so I don’t…”

Flashing a delicate, warm smile, Luigi reached out again, taking one of Bowser’s hands before he had the chance to pull away.  He could feel his heart racing and his face going bright red with embarrassment, becoming even more vivid when he had the chance to meet Bowser’s gaze again.  His hands were shaking, barely keeping a grip. It almost hurt; once again, almost every part of him told him to give up and run away, to change his mind and follow Bowser’s request to leave.  A foot even moved back, prepared to bolt from the room… but he stayed where he was.

He had to be honest with himself.

Fighting every urge to succumb to his nerves, he squeezed Bowser’s hand, earning a small jump and hardly suppressed blush that was almost parallel to the last time they were in this situation.  They both stood without a word, the silence becoming deafening as Luigi waited for some sort of response. Bowser still hadn’t gripped back… likely afraid of a repeat of the day before.

Luigi chose to let go.

Instead, he stood on his toes and reached upwards, gently cupping Bowser’s cheek.  His hand was far smaller in comparison, ultimately not covering very much and leading to the two sharing a single whisper of a laugh before the reality of his movement set in.  Time seemed to be at a standstill… and regardless of the comicality of the size difference, the sentiment was there; Bowser froze again, eyes wide at first, but eventually relaxing and leaning into the warmth on his cheek.

Luigi could still see the hesitancy in his expression; it was like Bowser still didn’t believe what was happening.  Maybe he thought he would be ditched again last second, maybe it was just the nerves of finally having someone whose feelings were mutual, maybe it was because this was the first time anyone had treated him with such sensitivity.  Or maybe, as usual, it was all three.

There was so much newfound vulnerability to Bowser that Luigi swore he was going to shatter in his palms.  It was surreal; someone who was once a source of terror and a heartless tyrant was now… _this_.  He was someone who looked as if he was going to break under the weight of his own thoughts.

He was someone who looked like a real person; someone with a tender, caring, loving soul, despite hiding under a monstrous persona for so many years.

“I don’t want to leave.” Luigi barely spoke above a whisper, moving his other hand in a mirror of the first one and coaxing Bowser to lean downwards just slightly.  His entire face practically glowed red, even the tips of his ears turning pink again, but it didn’t stop him from continuing, shutting his eyes.

Apparently, it didn’t stop Bowser either.

Their noses bumped together as Bowser closed the distance between them, both of them sharing an awkward chuckle and tilting their heads further.  They were far from fitting together like a two-piece puzzle. Still, it didn’t stop Luigi from trying again, shifting just enough for them to lock together in the closest they could get to a proper kiss.

It was far from the ideal, but as Bowser wrapped an arm around him to pull him closer, it seemed like the world was at a perfect standstill.  Whatever anxieties remained were washed away and left them in peace. There was only one thing they could focus on: how neither of them wanted the moment to end.

Thoughts were simultaneously moving at an incomprehensible speed and completely halted.  Luigi couldn’t even tell what they were about, too lost to process any of it beyond the fact that he wished he could stay as he was for longer; it didn’t take much before he gave up and ignored it.  He didn’t want to waste his chance.

Seconds felt like minutes to him, yet it still felt too short to be right.

When they pulled away from each other, both dazed, Luigi could see the start of tears in Bowser’s eyes.  He was overwhelmed, but radiant with relief. Luigi couldn’t stop himself from feeling the same intensity of joy, eventually needing to wipe at his own eyes with the sleeves of his shirt.  They were stunned, it seemed, only capable of taking in the tranquility their embrace offered.

Neither of them wanted, nor needed to say anything, both of them holding still without a word between each other.  The glances they shared did plenty, lasting them a surprisingly long amount of time as Luigi mindlessly stroked Bowser’s cheek with his thumb.  For a moment, everything seemed right.

Bowser eventually broke the silence in a near murmur.  There was a slight strain to his voice, low and barely disturbing the peace, but still bringing them back to reality.

“You’ll come back next week, right?”

“ _Certamente_.”

“I’ll let you go, then.  I wish you could stay but…”

“... But?”

“Don’t look now, but I can see Junior spying on us from around the corner.”

“ _Oh_.”

They shared another sheepish smile.  Despite the clumsiness, Luigi wouldn’t have it any other way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 12 chapters in and we finally get a little resolution. It's not over yet, though. ;)


	13. Chapter 13

Luigi could still feel his heart racing by the time he arrived back at home.  The giddiness from earlier had yet to subside, leaving him a smiling, flushed mess as he kept repeating the recent memory in his head.  No matter how many times he thought about it, about Bowser, about _them_ , he couldn’t get tired of it.  It caused his cheeks to burn without fail.  At moments, he almost began to doubt himself because it seemed so impossible, wondering if he was even awake and experiencing something real.

The faint ashy smell that lingered on his clothes proved otherwise.  It was the same scent he picked up on with each letter he received, each visit to the kingdom, and the embrace he was pulled into earlier in the day: not quite unpleasant, but far from sweet.  Unlike volcanic ash and different from firewood, it was difficult for him to describe, other than… warm. Still, he didn’t find himself bothered by it. It was gentle enough not to be an insult and would likely fade without much time… and even if it didn’t fade, it was a pleasant reminder.

Dropping onto his bed with a wide smile, Luigi sighed a breath of relief.  Despite the stress prior to visiting Bowser, his day was beyond _magnificent_.  His brother was right; things turned out fine.  In his opinion, things turned out even better than fine.

Except, when his mind returned to his brother again, his heart fell.

He still needed to tell Mario, the thought of doing so burying every bit of joy he held mere moments ago.  Things may have worked out with Bowser, but it was impossible for things to play out right for a second time.  Last time, there was a chance of everything lining up. This time, there was nothing. Arch nemeses wouldn’t forgive each other instantly just because someone asked nicely… especially not when it included his brother.  Mario was beyond stubborn; despite his caring, almost unconditionally supportive attitude, he had his limits. Bowser was one of them.

Luigi knew he couldn’t wait much longer.  As much as the idea of having more time appealed to him, he knew that hiding it from Mario was doing damage.  He couldn’t stand the feeling of being dishonest to his brother. He had to tell him, even if it meant causing a rift; honesty was better than letting things simmer and eventually having things completely crumble apart.  Plus, Luigi did his best to stay positive. Maybe it would blow over; maybe there was a slim chance that Mario would understand.

Yet, when he swung his legs over the edge of his bed to march up to Mario and tell him before worry got the better of his determination, he found himself stuck in his place.  Nothing he did to convince himself was enough to actually follow through. His feet stayed glued to the ground, not a muscle in his body moving to stand.

Luigi flopped backwards onto his bed with a groan.

“ _Non posso farlo._ ”

Another part of him knew that announcing it so suddenly would end in disaster.  It would destroy his brother’s trust in him and word always got around the Mushroom Kingdom, even if Mario never said anything directly.  Mere days would go by before he would be completely ostracized by his neighbors if even the slightest thing went wrong. He wouldn’t be able to continue seeing Bowser, either.  Even if Mario eventually forgave him, there was nothing stopping his guilt from getting the better of him.

Covering his face in with his hands, he sighed to himself.  He genuinely didn’t know what to do. No matter what he did, it would hurt someone.  No matter what he did, it would hurt _Mario_.

“ _Sono così dispiaciuto, fratello_ ,” he muttered to the ceiling.

He didn’t expect a voice to reply.

“What was that, bro?”

A series of footsteps approached the doorway, prompting Luigi to rushedly sit up from his bed.  As usual, Mario leaned against the frame, cocking his head with a slightly raised brow and a smile.  There was mild confusion, but it seemed like the actual comment had been missed; he merely heard the noise of it.

“Oh, uh… j-just thinking to myself,” Luigi shrugged, managing to flash a smile of his own.  “But I, um… have news for you. Good news!”

He patted the spot next to him, silently asking for Mario to sit down with him.  Even if he couldn’t tell him who the topic of his thoughts were yet, he could at least give an update.  From what he could tell, there was no harm in explaining what happened. Still, before Luigi could replace his hand in his lap, Mario rushed from his spot at the door frame, nearly leaving a cloud of dust in his path as he threw himself onto the bed.  His eyes were practically glowing with excitement. Even if his expression didn’t make it obvious, the hand that reached out and shook his shoulder made his thrilled impatience clear.

“Is it good news or _good_ news, bro?  Is it what I think it is?”  Mario was practically shaking as he spoke.  “Please tell me! Don’t keep me waiting!”

“I will if you let me speak, Mario!” Luigi laughed.  As much as worry plagued his thoughts, the anticipation Mario had was charming.  He always seemed to do just the right thing to lighten the mood, even when it wasn’t intentional.  “But… I guess it’s _good_ news.”

“Say it! Say it out loud!”

“Oh, um…”

As much as he wanted to say it, he struggled to actually get any words out.  Instead his cheeks flushed a bright pink, the rest of his face soon following suit as he stumbled over his words.  He couldn’t control it. However, when he looked at Mario, who was grinning with absolute delight, he found himself able to continue.

“It was a little difficult to get through to him at first but… you were right, bro.  Things did work out.”

“Oh, come on; you have to give me more than that!  I can tell there’s more! So what is it? Are you two… together?  ...More than friends? Officially dating?” Mario let out a gasp as he forced Luigi to face him, giving a quick, almost cocky wink.  “You _kissed_ him, didn’t you?  I can see it on your face!”

“Mariooooo,” Luigi whined, covering his face with his hands.  He couldn’t handle the prying, even if it had good intentions; everything was too embarrassing to share in words.

“Aha!  I knew it!  I’m so happy for you, bro!”

Mario pulled Luigi into a hug before he had a chance to respond.  It was overbearing and uncomfortable at first, full of obvious glee, but eventually loosened and allowed for Luigi to hug back on his own terms.  Luigi could practically feel the smile his brother had, despite it being impossible to physically tell.

While the embrace was heartwarming, it still sparked the remaining guilt in Luigi to return.  He knew Mario wouldn’t be this happy if he knew who it was; it was a literal lie by omission. While not as bad as deliberately contradicting the truth… it was still terrible.  It _felt_ terrible.  He needed Mario to know, but he needed for him to stay oblivious, too.  

“Um… where did you go today?”

Mario pulled away, wrinkling his nose a bit.  At first, Luigi was confused, but when the realization dawned on him, his eyes widened in fear.  Mario probably picked up on the smoke in his clothes from the close proximity.

Oh no.

“W-what do you mean?”

“Your clothes.  They smell like they belong in King Koopa’s castle, bro.”

“Oh, I- um… we, uh- we stopped by the garden there, actually!”  Luigi struggled to formulate a response, knowing he had to pick his words wisely to not warrant suspicion.  Still, the shaky edge to his voice ruined his cover; Mario quirked a brow in disbelief. “Everything was fine.  No koopas in sight!”

The room was still as Mario looked at him, trying to decipher the sudden shift in tone.  It was obvious that he could tell something was wrong, though Luigi couldn’t tell what it was.  He was forced to wait in silence, tapping his fingers together until Mario finally spoke up again.

“Luigi, you don’t need to lie to me about getting into fights.  I know you can handle yourself! I mean, clearly you won the fight if you made it out just fine.”  Mario poked at his arm in a slight tease, earning a weak smirk from Luigi. It was pure luck that Mario misunderstood the situation, though it only made the guilt double.

“Y-yeah, I guess so.  Sorry, bro.”

“ _Non ti preoccupare_.  I’m sure the garden was a lovely date, anyways.”

Except he _did_ worry.

* * *

 

The day before his next visit to see Bowser, another letter addressed to him was found in his mailbox, picked up in the evening by Mario with the rest of the day’s mail.  It was the same as each time before, empty across the entire cover aside from his name, written neatly in the center.

When Mario set it down in front of him, he couldn’t help but smile.  It was obvious who it was from, and although he couldn’t open it in plain sight, even the idea of it warmed his heart.  Still, a faint tinge of pain came with it, reminding him that he still hadn’t done what he agreed to do: tell Mario.

It wasn’t enough to make him lose his smile, but he chose to tuck it away in his pocket for reading when he was alone.

“ _E 'il tuo misterioso amichetto_?”  Mario asked, tilting his head in interest.

“ _Sì_.  It’s probably about tomorrow.”

“You can read it, bro.  I promise I won’t peak.”

Luigi was unsure at first, his hand wavering over his pocket and barely gripping at the paper, but eventually he caved.  He pulled it back out and peeled it open, pulling out its contents carefully as to avoid any words being in Mario’s line of sight.  The paper was held at a curve, making it impossible for anyone but himself to read. While he knew his brother was true to his word, everyone was guilty of the occasional wandering eye.  He couldn’t take the risk.

Even with the extra nerves, he found himself smiling at the letter when he read it.

_Luigi,_

_I was thinking that we could visit the Cloud Kingdom tomorrow; it’d be a nice get away from our usual scenery.  Why don’t we meet there instead? It’s usually empty, so we don’t have to worry about being seen by others._

_And if there are people, let’s meet in our usual place at the tea garden instead._

_See you tomorrow,_

_K.K._

Folding the letter back up, Luigi leaned back in his chair with a dreamy sigh.  The cloud kingdom was a gorgeous place and the secluded atmosphere only benefitted them.  They could leave the bounds of their usual area and see something new… almost like a real date.  Just thinking of it left butterflies in his chest.

When he looked at Mario, he only ended up more flustered.  His brother had a smug look on his face as he dropped his head into his hands and let out a hearty chuckle.  It was painful to look at, almost, causing another embarrassed blush to form on Luigi’s cheeks.

“You’re a lovestruck fool, bro.”

“Hey, wait a s-”

“Oh, don’t try to deny it!  It’s not a bad thing.” Mario couldn’t help but giggle, reaching out and ruffling his brother’s hair.

“Only if you stop denying how you feel about the princess, hypocrite!”

“That’s not- It’s not like that!”

Sticking out his tongue, Luigi laughed with him and swatted at his hand.  In a way, their constant teasing was their own form of rivalry. It was rooted in care for one another, but always knew how to push at each other’s buttons; they were always left grumbling, but grinning when the other brother wasn’t looking.

Yet, their squabble was cut short as Mario cleared his throat to get Luigi’s attention.

“Oh, um, speaking of Peach, though,” he began, a fairly sheepish expression forming on his face.  “I’m going out with her tomorrow, so I may not see you until late; whenever you get back.”

“Going _out_ , you mean?”

“No, bro!  She wants to travel in the Odyssey for the day and have tea.  It’s _really_ not like that!”

“Hm, _sure_.”

Mario let out a slight scoff at the comment, though Luigi could see the faint hints of being flustered.  His cheeks were pink, his eyes stared at the floor, and his mustache twitched with irritation. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to confirm any suspicions.

It didn’t stop Mario from denying it further, much to Luigi’s amusement.  He gave a quiet _hm_ before speaking again.

“I mean it!  But, yeah, I’ll see you… the morning after tomorrow at the latest.  It depends on how long we travel for.”

“Alright, bro.  Whatever you say.  I hope you have fun, though.”

“I hope you do too.”

* * *

 

The next morning, Luigi had rushed to the forest before Mario had woken up, leaving a simple goodbye note on the counter instead.  He couldn’t control the excitement running through his head; it practically forced him out of the house without a choice. Really, if he waited any longer, he’d probably be splitting at the seams.

As his usual cloud lifted him up from the forest, carrying him into the sky, he felt weightless.  Something about the anticipation of seeing Bowser again made him lightheaded, causing his hands to shake and his heart to flutter as he recalled the last time they saw each other.  The comfort of being wrapped in his arms; the gentle moment shared between them; the pure bliss he found himself lost in…

Every part of him looked forward to experiencing it again.

Leaning back, he watched as the sky around him became filled with fluffy, white clouds that reflected light in a glimmer.  The world was no longer surrounded by greens, browns, and reds, now filled with pastel blues and pinks that mimicked the sunny skyline.  It was gorgeous, almost like looking at the world through a pair of rose-tinted glasses: gentle, comforting, and calming to its core.

Luigi still felt as if he was light as a feather when he dropped onto the Cloud Kingdom’s surface, his feet hardly making a sound as he sprinted across the main platform and towards the only other figure in the area.  It was easy to tell who it was; the spiked shell and out of place colors were a dead give away, and even if there was room for error, it was obvious as he drew near.

“You’re here early,” Luigi remarked, sitting down next to Bowser.  He left just enough space between them that they didn’t touch, though not by much; even the slightest shift would lead to the two of them leaning against each other.  “I didn’t think you’d beat me here.”

“I… might have been a little impatient to get here… to see you.”

“O-oh, I hope you haven’t been waiting too long.”

“I didn’t mind.  I’m just glad to be here.”

“Me too.”

Bowser met his gaze with a warm smile and for a moment, the world felt still again.  There was something about it that he couldn’t put a name to, something indescribably, wonderfully perfect, but equally confusing.  Every time they looked at each other, it was the same feeling. Time only picked up when Bowser reached an arm around him, sending his heart racing and making his cheeks flush again.  So much for leaving distance between them. Yet, Luigi didn’t complain, nor wanted to.

Instead, Luigi leaned into the embrace, resting against the koopa’s side.  The two of them sat in silence, only interrupted when Luigi remembered the abrupt end to their last visit.  He stayed where he was, merely tilting his head to look up at Bowser and not sacrifice their comfort.

“I-I was thinking about it and, um, I remember you mentioning that Junior… saw us,” he began.  “Did you talk to him?”

Another moment of silence lapsed between them for a moment as Bowser lifted his free hand to awkwardly run a hand through his hair.  A faint, almost forced laugh escaped him.

“I did.”

“Oh.”

“He… struggled to understand.  The first thing he did was ask me about Peach; he wanted to know if she was ever going to come back to the castle again.  I told him I didn’t know; that it was unlikely to happen unless she chose to on her own volition. I wasn’t going to break your trust by kidnapping her again.  He didn’t take it well.” Bowser turned his head away, sullen. “He’s very… attached to her. The whole ‘mama’ thing really stuck, I suppose. It made him hard to accept that he might not get to see her like he used to.”

Luigi felt Bowser’s grip around him tighten as he spoke, pulling him closer in an almost protective fashion.

“He asked why I… kissed you, not her.  He said that I was supposed to kiss her instead and that it didn’t make sense for it to be you because you’re not a princess.  It’s my own fault; I never talked fondly about anyone besides Peach around him.”

“You couldn’t have predicted it.  Us, I mean.”

“I know.  I told him that there wasn’t any rule that it had to be a princess and it could be anyone; that was easy.  He accepted that part. But he asked about… whether I still wanted to marry Peach.”

“He didn’t take the answer too well, did he?”

Bowser’s demeanor fell further, letting out a deep sigh that left him sulking and empty.  There was a distant pain in his eyes, not quite remorseful, but still wishing things played out in a different way.

“I hate seeing my son so upset,” Bowser muttered.  “It hurts.”

“It’ll be okay; he’ll come around eventually.  He’s young… and change is hard, but not impossible.”

“You underestimate how stubborn he can be.”

“He’s as stubborn as you are. I know.”  Luigi grabbed Bowser’s hand, giving it a tight squeeze as he felt the koopa grip back in response.  “But look at you: you changed, and you’ve been set in your ways for decades.”

“... Point taken.  Only time can tell, though.”

“Well, I’m sure that time will prove me right.”

Sharing a soft chuckle, the two looked at each other again, both smiling softly and eventually blushing when neither of their gazes faltered.  They remained frozen, stuck watching each other as neither of them dared to move, but Luigi couldn’t help but turn his head away when his cheeks started to burn.  The same airy feeling in his chest returned, their close proximity making it all the more intense. Yet, before he could catch a break from it, Bowser moved a finger to his chin, tilting his head up again.

If he was lightheaded before, he was on the verge of passing out now.  They had been through this once before, but in a way, Luigi was still at a loss for words, both verbally and mentally.  He swore he could hardly breathe.

Bowser leaned in before he had a chance to respond, leaving a kiss so delicate it could have been likened to a ghost.  For someone so powerful, it was surprising; it didn’t seem possible for him to act with such a gentle manner, no matter the situation.  Luigi almost didn’t notice it under the wave of emotions that slammed into him, only realizing it when he caught himself mimicking Bowser by leaning in further.

The world seemed perfect.

Like before, he found himself lost in a daze that he wished was permanent.  There were no worries on his mind, no outside distractions, no problems that pulled him back to reality.  Even the gentle breeze around him faded into nothingness. The only thing he picked up on was a distant, choppy sound of wind.  It was peculiar and oddly rhythmic, similar to the sound of a train… Luigi noticed it was gradually getting louder, too.

It couldn’t be.  It wasn’t. There was no way that it could be-

A high pitched whistle blow startled him and Bowser away from each other.  Luigi immediately turned towards the source of the noise, spying a rapidly approaching, bright red ship as he scrambled to put distance between him and Bowser.  His eyes went wide when he registered who it was, a hushed _oh no_ escaping him.  While the figures on it were still moving too fast to get a clear view of, he was confident that he could see Mario standing at the front of it with Peach beside him, both of them peering off of the bow and... directly at them.

It _was_.

There were only seconds to work with as the ship soared towards the platform, and yet Luigi stood frozen, his heart sinking in hopelessness.

“B-Bowser, we need to go.  W-we have to before- before-”

“I don’t think we have time-”

“H-he _can’t_ see me with you!  Just, run away, p-pretend to fight me, o-or- just do something!  Pretend to kidnap me or-”

He didn’t have time to finish his sentence before the ground shook from the Odyssey’s landing, sending him stumbling and reeling in pain that stemmed purely from fear.  What was once a blissful, peaceful moment had become a nightmare he wasn’t ready to face. Even Bowser took a few steps back from Luigi, widened eyes darting between him, the ship, and its riders.

The fact that Bowser was more fearful than angry only made Luigi worry more.  They were _both_ terrified.


	14. Chapter 14

“Hey, King Koopa!  Get away from my bro!”  Mario’s voice cut through the air, directed at Bowser with a unique mix of anger, bravery, and worry as he sprinted towards his brother.  It was hard to tell whether he recognized what was going on or if he assumed it was a standard battle.

Bowser didn’t move a muscle.

“ _Mamma mia_!  Are you alright?!”  Mario pulled Luigi down into a hug as soon as he was within reach, though without letting his guard down.  He kept his brother at arm’s reach, gripping his shoulders and eyeing the bewildered koopa as he dragged Luigi away from him.  There was confusion in his eyes, seeming to find the easy surrender… too simple, but it didn’t stop him from continuing.

“What in the world are you doing here?!  We were passing by and Peach saw you… and King Koopa!  We couldn’t tell what was happening but-... oh _bro_ , I was so worried for you!  Are you hurt? And-” He looked around, scanning the area for other people before furrowing his brow in worry.  “Where’s _il misterioso amichetto_?  Is he okay?  Did you see him?”

When Luigi visibly winced, Mario’s eyes widened.  Despite the blatant evidence, the frustratingly obvious situation, and the discomfort shared between Bowser and Luigi, Mario remained completely naive.  It physically hurt him to witness, a familiar tinge of doubt practically crushing his throat and making his eyes burn.

“What did Koopa do to him?”

Luigi glanced back at Bowser, whose arms were raised in defense.  From the look of it, Mario was ready to throw punches, ready to get back at him for something he never did.  He could see it in his eyes: fiery and barely holding back.

“I’ll take him down for hurting you, bro.”

He had to do something.

He had to tell him the truth.

“W-wait, Mario.  Please, don’t.” Luigi’s voice wavered as much as his body shivered.  Every part of him wanted to stop and run; to save it for another day and make some excuse.  “He didn’t do anything wrong.”

The look Mario flashed him when they looked at each other crushed him; the rage he held subsided, replaced with pure despondence that practically caused his mustache to droop.  He looked like a wilting flower, anxious, yet pleading for Luigi to speak. It seemed like he was starting to put the pieces together, though still remained in denial; he didn’t want to believe it.

“I-I’m… sorry.”

“... Sorry?”  Mario’s voice wavered in the same way Luigi’s did.  They both knew. “Bro… why are you sorry?”

“For lying to you.  For not telling you who… _he_ is.”

Luigi looked back at Bowser again, his brother doing the same.  He simply stood there, shocked to the bone, but no longer standing in defense.  More than anything, he looked worried for Luigi, staring back at him with a hopeful, yet pitiful look in his eyes.

“You’re joking, bro,” Mario insisted, removing his cap to run a hand through his hair.  His voice cracked in the middle of it, nearly panicking and still unable to comprehend what was going on.  He refused to acknowledge what was being suggested. “You can’t be- no. I _know_ it can’t be him.  Stop being cryptic like that.  Stop joking. This isn’t funny.”

“Mario, please-”

“I need to know what’s going on.  No more dodging the question. Tell me right now.”

“I’m not-”

“Who have you been seeing, Luigi?  Who is _l’amico misterioso_ ?  Who is your boyfriend?  What is his _name_?”

Both of them had tears in their eyes, rolling down their cheeks with every blink as they struggled to look at each other.  Luigi tried to control it, to hold it back, but it only made things worse; he broke down into a sob, covering his face as he desperately wiped at it, trying to find some form of break.

Everything hurt.  His heart ached, his eyes burned, and regret tore at every piece of his mind.  He could only stare at the floor, too afraid to ruin things and even more afraid of losing his brother or Bowser.  He didn’t want to make a choice.

“Luigi, please answer me.”

“Bowser.  It’s _Bowser_.”

The air went still.

“M-Mario, I-I’m so sorry.  I w-wanted to tell you earlier- I really did, I just- I was so afraid of- of-”

“Hurting me,” Mario finished his sentence for him, enough distress in his voice for the both of them.  His discomfort was painfully obvious, forcing another stifled sob from Luigi as the weight of the situation continued to crumble down on them.  Seeing absolute despair in his brother like that… it _destroyed_ him.  “... I don’t understand.”

“But h-he’s changed for the better.  He’s not like he used to be; he’s different.  He’s-”

“It’s _King Koopa_ , bro.  He doesn’t _change_.  Not after so many years and schemes and kidnappings and fights…”

“But he _has_ .” Luigi argued, raising his voice just enough to catch his brother off guard. “ Haven’t you noticed how long it’s been since you’ve even _heard_ about his last plan to kidnap the princess?  How he’s not even trying to attack you? How there’s not even a scratch on me after all this time?”

“What if it’s all fake?  You don’t know that this isn’t part of some plan to-”

“It’s not!”

“I can’t trust him!”

“I get it if you can’t trust him, but at least trust _me_.”

Mario shook his head, lowering himself to the ground and dropping his head into his hands.  He was struggling with this as much as Luigi was, it seemed. When Luigi reached down to comfort him, he swatted his hand away; that was something he _never_ did.  Never in his life had he turned down his brother’s comfort.  For once, he refused to move.

“I don’t want him to hurt you.”

“He’s not going to hurt me.”

“But what if he _does_ , Luigi?”

This time, the denial was accompanied by a sniffle.  Crouching down to his level, Luigi looked closer, noticing the ever-increasing volume of tears pouring down Mario’s face.  His eyes were red, puffy, and squinted in a mix of anger, doubt, and fear. Confusion was hardly a strong enough word to describe it.

Luigi forced his hands away, taking one in each of his own hands as he sat down in a cross-legged position that mirrored Mario’s.  He knew bickering was going to accomplish nothing but frustrate both of them. Instead, he got Mario’s attention, silently pleading for his brother to let him explain, to give him a chance to prove things.

“I know it seems impossible.  Even _I_ thought it was impossible at first.  But… after we spoke on the moon, when I accidentally ran into him, things were different,” he started, offering a weak, but hopeful smile.  “It took a lot of time and patience, but there really is more to things than what you see.”

“But-”

“This doesn’t excuse anything that’s happened in the past; all of those kidnappings, fights, wars… you don’t need to forgive any of that.  That’s always going to be in our history. But I’ve seen a whole new side of him; one that actually cares, one who put aside a desire for power to make someone else happy.”

“How is that even possible?  He’s only brought us terror. He’s never shown even a hint of good.”

“There’s good in him.  It took a while to bring out, but there really _is_ good in him.  I’ve seen it. When he’s with his son, when he’s with someone he can trust… when he’s with _me_ … it’s there.  Please, Mario. Please believe me; I know it seems absurd but it’s true.”

“... What if he’s lying?”  Mario’s tone was considerably different, losing the edge it once carried.  It still held concern, but there was no underlying frustration. It felt more like he wanted confirmation than anything.

“He’s not.”

“How do you know?”

“You know how sometimes, we’ve looked at each other and we just… knew that we were being genuine?  Like we could see it in each other?”

“Yeah, but you’re my brother.”

“And he’s my friend.  How is that any different?”

Mario didn’t respond with words, letting out a defeated sigh in its place and looking over at Bowser, who had dropped his defensive stance and watched from afar.  They stared at each other, both holding unreadable expressions that Luigi couldn’t decipher. It was impossible to tell what they were thinking.

But deep down, even if it was just a hunch, Luigi felt like his brother understood… even if it was only a little bit.  Even if he _didn’t_ understand, he trusted him.  They trusted each other more than anything.

When Mario turned back to Luigi, he stood up, pulling him onto his feet before trapping him in a strong hug.  It was almost painfully tight, to the point that Luigi couldn’t help but whine, but he hugged back regardless.

The two brothers stood together in silence, the only noise shared between them being the occasional sniffle as they left teardrops on each other’s shoulders.  Neither of them knew how long they waited; time didn’t matter at this point. The only thing they cared about was each other. It was almost to a fault, but nothing would stop them from putting each other first.

Luigi knew his brother was only trying to protect him, even if it was, for once, misguided.  He could see it in Mario’s eyes when they finally let go. There was still a seed of doubt, but the disappointment and concern had disappeared almost entirely.

“... I guess this explains… a lot of things.”  Mario’s tone was much lighter than before, seemingly doing his best to put aside his bias and make the best of things.  It was stiff sounding and far from normal, but beyond the initial awkwardness, it brought out hope.

“I couldn’t risk it.”

“Were you really going to tell me someday?”

“It’s been on my mind since the first day I talked to him.”

Mario turned towards Bowser, losing it’s gentleness in favor of a stern, barely threatening appearance.  If there was one thing that would never change, it would be his protectiveness over his brother. Still, he made no move to lash out, staying where he was.

Protectiveness was one thing, controlling was another.  Mario would always be the former.

“Hey, Koopa!” He hollered, earning an uneasy look from Bowser.  “If I so much as see a single tear from my bro because of you-”

“You’ll beat my hide to the edge of the galaxy and back; I know,” Bowser shrugged, cutting him off.  “Don’t get your overalls in a bunch.”

Mario was caught off guard by the nonchalant answer he got, obviously unsettled by the lack of fire in his voice.  It was the first time Mario had ever witnessed him in such a calm and non-threatening state; there was no way he couldn’t have been surprised.  Though, in a way, it seemed to reassure him that Luigi was right.

Looking back at his brother, Mario flashed a weary smile.  It lacked the same level of positivity it normally held, but it was something.  It was enough to make Luigi feel like things would work out somehow. There was a long way to go, but it was progress.  Despite the odds, things were going to be okay.

“Luigi, I don’t really understand it, but...” Mario sighed.  “I’m sure you know what you’re doing. Can you just promise me one thing?”

Luigi quirked a brow, giving Mario the opportunity to continue.  A part of him felt a moment of worry, expecting the worst, but another part of him knew better.  His brother wanted him to be happy, not trapped.

“Be safe, okay?”

“I know.  I can handle myself.”

“I know you can.”

Another voice spoke out this time, drawing everyone’s attention in the direction of the Odyssey.  Princess Peach had watched the entire conversation from afar, engaging as she stood at the bow of the ship.  She seemed hesitant, reluctant to force herself into things, but did so nonetheless, her voice harsh and void of emotion.  Even her expression remained blank; something the brothers were familiar with when she was put under pressure. It wasn’t a good sign.

“Mario, may we continue exploring?  I would like to go.”

The brothers exchanged glances, Mario taking his leave with a final, quick hug and sprinting to reunite with Peach.  They could both sense her discomfort, despite her attempts to cover it up… and neither of them could blame her. It was even more difficult for her to accept change than Mario, especially when it involved someone who tormented her kingdom for decades.

If Mario was only barely accepting Luigi’s decisions, only doing so because his trust in his brother overrode any other opinion he had… then Peach likely didn’t tolerate it at all.  Unlike Mario, she didn’t let friends or family get in the way of her own thoughts; she needed to come to a decision on her own time.

No one wanted to question it.

When the Odyssey lifted from the ground, announcing its departure with another whistle blow, Luigi waved, hoping to get some form of response from the two.  The last thing he wanted was for either of them to hold a grudge.

Mario waved back enthusiastically, even if Luigi could tell he was nervous to leave him alone with Bowser again.

Peach ignored him and walked inside.

As much as Luigi expected indifference from the princess, the full-blown dismissal from her stung.  It was worse than he thought was possible, leaving him sullen to the point of heartbreak and forcing another set of tears to the corners of his eyes; she was _never_ this mad at either of them, regardless of what happened.  He knew it wasn’t something to be upset with her for, but it still made his heart ache to think about.   It was obvious she associated him with betrayal.

Betrayal.  There wasn’t any other explanation for it, from what he could tell.  How else could someone describe befriending another friend’s worst enemy, kidnapper, and threat to their kingdom?  Luigi thought he was free from guilt since having to come clean, but somehow, it only felt worse.

Thinking about it, he knew Mario was stuck in the middle of things because of him, too.  Stuck between two sides, politically, between friends, and internally. On one end, he had to balance the kingdom he protected for so many years and his brother; on another, he had to mediate between Princess Peach and his brother; on yet another, he had to come to terms with his internal biases in order to support… his brother.  Again.

Luigi crumbled, returning to a sob.  It was all his fault.

It was a relief to know he had his brother on his side again, to no longer keep things a secret, yet the new set of problems it caused was overwhelming.  It forced him to drop to the floor, losing strength in his body as a mirror to his own confidence. Tears rolled down his cheeks, his hands shook, and his breathing wavered; he didn’t want to think about it… and yet it’s all he could think of.

He was a selfish traitor.  A disgrace. A _disappointment_.

Perhaps he was getting ahead of himself, even he knew he had a tendency to beat himself up and overthink things.  Yet, the realization did nothing for him. The shame continued, crushing his spirit and practically choking him through whimpers.  Rationalization neither erased his guilt nor calmed him down. It felt fake, regardless of the truth.

He couldn’t handle it.  He couldn’t breathe. His mind raced too fast to comprehend, jumping between every possibility that explained how he could have done better and twisting it so that he was never able to catch up with justifications.  He knew his brother was ashamed, he knew the princess was disgusted, he knew that the kingdom would be horrified the moment they found out, he knew that Bowser resented anyone knowing. If he had just been smart about it, just told Mario sooner, just fell for someone who wasn’t-

Bowser’s arms wrapped around him, interrupting his thoughts as he was lifted to his toes and nearly smothered by a hug.

The embrace was surprisingly soothing, squeezing tight as he melted into the warmth of it.  He was practically being cradled, his feet barely skimming the ground, but it was far from uncomfortable.  If anything, it was an improvement from the cold clouds; it assured him that he wasn’t alone. Although tears continued to stream down his cheeks, his breathing eventually slowed down, returning to a steady pace from what was once desperate gasps between sobs.  Things were far from perfect: Luigi could still feel a pit in his stomach from lingering fear, but... it made things feel a little better. It helped.

“I’m sorry,” Luigi choked out, his voice still strained.  “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

“But, Peach; I-I’ve hurt her.  She must think I’m a horrible person for- for-”

“Apologies aren’t going to change her mind.”

Bowser seemed to physically recoil as Luigi let out a whimper.  The comment he made was… the exact opposite of comforting.

“ _Che sciocco che sono_ …” Luigi muttered, his composure quickly crumbling again.  

Bowser was right: apologies meant nothing.  Anything he could say would be brushed off as an excuse and met with emotionless stares from the princess until she came to her own decisions.  He couldn’t force her to forgive him, nor Bowser. He still couldn’t blame her, but the fear of losing her as a friend made his heart shatter.

Losing anyone would have done that to him.  He never wanted to have to pick sides… and yet he found himself picking sides between a lifelong friend and a newfound companion.  It was almost like it tugged his thoughts in two different directions, pulling until it tore him in half and forced tears to his eyes once more.

When Bowser noticed his breathing becoming uneven again, he sighed.

“Look, Luigi… Fretting over her will do nothing but hurt you.”  It seemed like he was picking his words carefully, his voice slow and lacking its usual confidence.  “Try to take your mind off of this. All you can do is... give it time. Give her time.”

“What if she never talks to me? Or what if-”

“You don’t know what she’ll do.  You can’t assume.”

“B-but I know she’s stubborn and considering it’s _you_ , she’ll p-probably- ...I don’t want to lose her!  But I-I... don’t want to lose you either and- oh and Mario, he- he must be so conflicted-”  Luigi couldn’t stop himself from gasping and sniffling between sets of words, losing himself in another round of thoughts that felt just out of his control.

“Luigi, _stop_.”

This time, Bowser let go when he spoke, setting Luigi onto the ground and grabbing him by the shoulders.  His grip was almost tight enough to hurt, but not quite, merely causing Luigi to flinch from the sudden shift.  It wasn’t aggressive, but it wasn’t exactly gentle, similar to the manner anyone adopted when they needed to get a point across.  Firm, but not mean. Bowser’s expression matched the body language: an amalgam of care and stifled agitation.

“Breathe.”

Shutting his eyes, he listened, taking a slow, deep breath then a second, then a third.  He didn’t say a word. Instead, he continued to do as he was instructed while Bowser waited, only ceasing when he could catch up to his thoughts.  His heart still ached, miserable over the situation, but he could _think_ ; he could spot the irrationality.

Finally, after a long bout of silence, he was able to dry his tears.

“I’m sorry for getting like that, I-” Luigi was cut off before he could finish his apology.

“You don’t need to be sorry.”

“A-are you sure?”

“I’m sure.  I just want to see you smile again.”

Luigi cracked a soft, sheepish, yet genuine smile in response, earning a light chuckle from the koopa in front of him as they locked eyes once more.  Time was far from racing anymore, but Luigi could swear the world had slowed to a crawl when Bowser looked at him. There was an unusual clarity to things; it was something he couldn’t describe, ironically, but it was easy for him to say it was pleasant.  He felt calm. Safe, even.

It was another moment that he wished lasted forever, just for the feeling it brought him.  Yet, when he eventually looked away, the feeling didn’t fade. It persisted, continuing when he stared into the pinkish sky around him, continuing when he let himself reach out and take one of Bowser’s hands, and continuing when Bowser squeezed his hand in return, reminding them both that they were still there for each other.  They stood together, and regardless of what happened in the future, Luigi felt like that wouldn’t change.

They would always be there for each other.  He didn’t know how he knew, but he did.

“You can stay in my kingdom for the night... if you’d like.  To give your brother some time to think.”

When he glanced back at Bowser for just a moment, flashing another smile, he could tell that they were on the same page.

“I’d love to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:  
> Che sciocco che sono - "I'm so stupid"
> 
> Thank y'all so much for all of the sweet comments you've left on my work!! I apologize that I haven't replied to every single one; I promise that I'm still very appreciative of what you've said, even if it's just a simple little compliment. It all means a lot to me.
> 
> That being said, I hope y'all enjoy this next chapter. Cheers!


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